LEGAL INSTRUMENTS
Universal Declaration on Human Rights
Article 25: Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Article 11: The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself and his family, including adequate food, clothing and housing, and to the continuous improvement of living conditions.
Article 12: The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. The steps to be taken by the States Parties to the present Covenant to achieve the full realization of this right shall include those necessary for...The prevention, treatment and control of epidemic, endemic, occupational and other diseases;
General Comment Number 4, Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
...An adequate house must contain certain facilities essential for health, security, comfort and nutrition, all beneficiaries of the right to adequate housing should have sustainable access to natural and common resources, safe drinking water...
Committee on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights: General Comment 15: The right to water (articles 11 and 12, Twenty-ninth session, 2002)
Convention on the Rights of the Child
Article 24: States Parties shall pursue full implementation of this right and, in particular, shall take appropriate measures... to combat disease and malnutrition, including within the framework of primary health care, through, inter alia, the application of readily available technology and through the provision of adequate nutritious foods and clean drinking water
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
Article 5: In compliance with the fundamental obligations laid down in article 2 of this Convention, States Parties undertake to prohibit and to eliminate racial discrimination in all its forms and to guarantee the right of everyone, without distinction as to race, colour, or national or ethnic origin, to equality before the law, notably in the enjoyment of the following rights: Economic, social and cultural rights, in particular: The right to public health, medical care, social security and social services
Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women
Article 14: States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in rural areas in order to ensure, on a basis of equality of men and women, that they participate in and benefit from rural development and, in particular, shall ensure to such women the right: To have access to adequate health care facilities, including information, counseling and services in family planning;
POLITICAL INSTRUMENTS
Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the Area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 'Protocol of San Salvador'
Article 11: "Everyone shall have the right to live in a healthy environment and to have access to basic public services... The States Parties shall promote the protection, preservation, and improvement of the environment."
1994 Draft Declaration of Principles on Human Rights and the Environment
This Draft Declaration was drafted at the United Nations in Geneva on 16 May 1994 by an international group of experts on human rights and environmental protection. The group assembled at the invitation of the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund (now Earthjustice).
General Assembly Resolution 45/94 (1990): Need to ensure a healthy environment for the well-being of individuals
Operative paragraph 1: "...all individuals are entitled to live in an environment adequate for their health and well-being"
Stockholm Declaration
The Stockholm Declaration, adopted 16 June 1972, is the first document in international environmental law to explicitly recognize the right to a healthy environment.
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR REPORTS
The Special Rapporteur's mandate is on the adverse effects of the illicit movement and dumping of toxic and dangerous products and wastes on the enjoyment of human rights.