Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Center for Public Health and Human Rights

Center for Public Health and Human Rights

Africa
-Zimbabwe crisis update
Asia
-Burma cyclone reponse
Central Asia
United States

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Project Locations

Not limited by geographic boundaries, we aim to work on behalf of populations where human rights have been ignored and, where oftentimes, repressive policies have led to poor health outcomes. The majority of projects, yet not all, are international.

Sadly, the world is not short of rights violations and where these violations exist often there is unequal, even nonexistent, access to basic healthcare, and greater risk of disease and malnutrition.  We steadfastly believe that it is the basic right of all individuals to live in an environment that offers equal opportunities for a healthy and productive life. In these contexts we work to identify the associations between human rights violations and health concerns; document the epidemiology of humanitarian issues and disease; serve as technical advisors in the development of programs aimed at combatting disease, malnutrition, and in increasing access to healthcare; and to inform local and international organizations and policy makers for the purposes advocating for positive changes and equality.  One of our greatest objectives is to build the capacity of local groups to recognize their rights to health and security and implement programs so as to obtain these goals.

Where we work:
Click on the links to the left to learn more about international projects.

World Map

In the News...

Russia needs new HIV strategy Center Director, Dr. Beyrer, Michel Kazatchkine (Global Fund) and other HIV experts discuss the current Russian strategy and suggest proven options for HIV prevention programs.  Read the AP interview. 
Request for input on HIV programming for sexual minorities: We are conducting a review of all relevant programming for sexual minorities for a report to be delivered to the World Bank as a call to action to increase funding for evidence-based and comprehensive HIV prevention programming for TG, WSW, and MSM. If you have produced a report, or are aware of a well written report that describes the access to HIV prevention programs for sexual minorities, please consider sharing your findings. Contributions will be appropriately acknowledged and cited.  For more information, please go to the following link of your language preference: English, French, Spanish, Portugese

Center Events: Rebuilding Health Services After War: Why Invest in Health Service in the Wake of War? with Len Rubenstein, Nov. 10 (flyer
Other Events: Redefining Impact: Plos Medicine at 5 years (Nov. 11 at 12:15pm at JHSPH W1214) flyer.

New York Times OpEd: Len Rubenstein discusses the role of health professionals in interrogations and the future of American policy.  Read
Human Rights, Risk for HIV, and MSM in Malawi IPS covers the findings from Dr. Baral's work with CEDEP in Malawi and discusses the important societal contribution of these results.  Read
Lancet interview Dr. Baral discussed his findings with the Lancet's editor, Pamela Das, and explains the global aspects of the HIV epidemic among MSM. Listen Details and findings from Dr. Baral's research on HIV prevalence, risks, and human rights among men who have sex with men in Malawi, Namibia, and Botswana were recently published in PLoS. Read
After the Storm: Voices from the Delta The joint report by EAT-Burma and CPHHR was just released on February 27, 2009, in Bangkok.  The only independent, community-based assessment documents the human rights violations that occurred in Burma during the response to Cyclone Nargis and continue today.  Full Report  Executive Summary  Go to our Burma Cyclone Response page to learn more.

Health Crisis in Zimbabwe Dr. Beyrer and colleagues from Physicians for Human Rights recently traveled to Zimbabwe to conduct an assessment of the current health crisis in Zimbabwe. The report, Health in Ruins: A Man-Made Disaster in Zimbabwe, was released on January 13 in South Africa and New York. Go to our special Zimbabwe update page for updated information.  Read the recent NPR interview with Dr. Beyrer or listen to the interview.

World News: International AIDS Society Urges Strong and Swift Opposition to Proposed Anti-Homosexuality Legislation in Uganda (Read) Obama Lifts AIDS Travel Ban (Read)

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