Nurses: A Voice to Lead - Health IS a Human Right
The right to health is more than a catch phrase for health workers,
civil society groups and non-government organizations in
an effort to positively change the world.
Nurses are essential in transforming health care and health systems such that no person is left behind, without access to care or impoverished because of their need for health care.
International Council of Nurses (ICN) believes that health is a human right. We are at the forefront of advocating for access to health and nurses are key to delivering it. Ensuring that we have enough nurses and other health care workers is a critical enabler of the human right to health.
Nurses can be a voice to lead by supporting a people-centred approach to care and the health system, and by ensuring their voices are heard in influencing health policy, planning, and provision.
They are key to achieving the right to health for everyone; no matter the location, no matter the setting. Health is a human right.
Health systems are an essential element of a healthy and equitable society. When health is viewed as a human right, there is a demand on us to take action and a responsibility to enable access to a health system.
This belief should be the cornerstone of an effective system, and the benefits of this will ultimately flow to communities and countries.
The right to health is more than a catch phrase for health workers, civil society groups and non-government organizations in an effort to positively change the world.
In the majority of cases, the right to health is a legal instrument that can be used to hold governments and the international community to account.
It can and it should be used as a constructive tool for the health sector to provide the best care for individuals, communities and populations.
Operated by nurses and leading nursing internationally, ICN works to ensure quality nursing care for all and sound health policies globally. ICN chooses a theme each year to celebrate International Nurses Day. Our 2017-2019 campaign, Nurses: A Voice to Lead, focuses on the need for nurses to become more active and vocal in policy development and implementation. The resources and evidence deal with critical issues of the time and highlight the many ways in which nurses are making an impact.