Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Center for Public Health and Human Rights

Center for Public Health and Human Rights

Left Image

The Center for Public Health and Human Rights

The Center for Public Health and Human Rights (CPHHR) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health seeks to advance fundamental human rights through research, teaching and advocacy.

Based in the School's Department of Epidemiology and headed by Epidemiology professor Chris Beyrer, MD, MPH, the Center's access to the vast expertise at Johns Hopkins is a vital part of our efforts in doing the analytic and development work this emerging field requires.

While many agencies and groups are active in the field of health and human rights, the Center takes a population-based approach in much of its work and brings human rights principles to bear on key public health challenges in environments where human dignity and well-being is especially under threat. Our research focuses on quantitative measures of human rights impacts, including expanding sources of information human rights violations and, increasingly, on public health intervention research grounded in human rights principles. The Center also focuses on the roles and responsibilities of health and public health professionals in protecting and promoting human rights and the means of protecting their work in places where human rights violations threaten their work.

These diverse efforts share common ground—the use of science to support individuals and communities facing threats to health that are directly related to abrogation of their rights and human rights principles to advance well-being.

Making an Impact

Using vital data from our studies in Thailand, Russia, and several African countries, CPHHR has been working to advocate for the rights of various groups who have been discriminated against or excluded from public health surveillance and programs.  Follow the link below to learn more about the CPHHR's recent research and advocacy work.

Follow the links above to learn more about the Center or go to our Resources link to read our publications or read articles about our work.

In the News...

New Report: Protection of Health Care in Armed and Civil Conflict: Opportunities for Breakthroughs. Written by CPHHR faculty member Len Rubenstein. Read.
Just Released! "Injection drug use, sexual risk, violence and STI/HIV among Moscow female sex workers" has been published online. Congratulations to Michele Decker and entrie the team! Read.
Breaking News! WHO Executive Board passes resolution to increase protection of health workers and facilities in armed conflict. Read More.
Just Released! CPHHR's World Bank report on men who have sex with men made The Global Forum on MSM & HIV's 2011 top ten Key Global Policy Developments Concerning MSM and HIV! Read.
Congratuations! CPHHR Director Chris Beyrer was awarded an honorary doctorate from Chiang Mai University in northern Thailand on January 19, 2012. Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn presented the award during the commencement ceremonies. Read. Photos.
Just Released! “Time to Act: A Call for Comprehensive Responses to HIV in People Who Use Drugs” is now available in Chinese, Farsi, French, Japanese, Polish, Russian and Spanish. Click here for the documents.
Report:  Myanmar National Strategic Plan on HIV and AIDS 2011-2015. Click here for more information and access to the full report.
New employment opportunity: The Center is growing and in need of a Biostatistician. Please follow links for details and the application.

Just released! Against the Odds: Helping Mothers and Babies Survive in Eastern Burma. In 2005, 4 ethnic health organizations in eastern Burma launched the Moblie Obstetric Maternal Health Workers (MOM) Project to address high maternal mortality and morbidity. Click here for informatrion on the unique approach and its impact in health services in eastern Burma. 


Breaking News! Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will visit Burma on Thursday, December 1st. Sign petition here to show your support for change. With your help, this could be the greatest opportunity in a generation to bring about geniune democracy and human rights in Burma!

Congratulations! The Center's Leonard Rubenstein to be awarded APHA's Levy-Sidel Award for Peace, presented November 2011.

Just released! The CPHHR collaborative report with the World Bank and UNDP, The Global HIV Epidemics among Men Who Have Sex With Men, has been released for the UN General Assembly's High Level Meeting on AIDS.  Read more: Full Report Research Brief Press Release The Lancet's Review


A requiem for the fallen from the early days of AIDS: a review of the documentary film "We Were Here" by David Weissman, written by CPHHR Director Chris Beyrer and published in The Lancet. Read

Meet the Challenge: Thanks to a generous gift from the Ludwig family, the Center has received a $100,000 matching grant for the Center's faculty and research development.  Help us meet this challenge and support international work for health and human rights.  Donate 
CPHHR report makes the Top 10! The CPHHR's report for the World Bank, the Global HIV Epidemic among MSM, is listed among Top 10 Key Global Policy Developments Concerning MSM & HIV Read
Profile Chris Beyrer: advocate for social justice and health as a human right Profile
Lancet Series HIV and People who Use DrugsSee contributions from CPHHR and other JHSPH faculty Press Release Series 

Johns Hopkins University

© 2012, Johns Hopkins University. All rights reserved.
Web policies, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205

interest