Irregular Migrants And The Right To Health

Analyses how human rights law can overcome constraining approaches to the right to health of irregular migrants.

In our globalised world, where inequality is deepening and migration movements are increasing, states continue to maintain strong regulatory control over immigration, health and social policies. Arguments based on state sovereignty can be employed to differentiate irregular migrants from other groups and reduce their right to physical and mental health to the provision of emergency medical care, even where resources are available. Drawing on the enabling and constraining factors of human rights law and public health, this book explores the scope and limits of the right to health of migrants in irregular situations, in international and European human rights law. Addressing these peoples' health solely with an exceptional medical paradigm is inconsistent with the special attention granted to people in vulnerable situations and non-discrimination in human rights, the emerging rights-based approach to disability, the social priorities of public health and the interdependence of human rights.

Essay from the year 2013 in the subject Law - European and International Law, Intellectual Properties, grade: merit, Queen Mary University of London (Law Department), course: LLM, language: English, abstract: This paper examines two fundamental social rights belonging to irregular migrants: the right to work and the right to healthcare. Even though there is a lack of specific legal provisions directly applicable to this social category, the general ones, such as the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Political Rights, also concern undocumented migrants. They are analyzed from general to particular taking into consideration broad terms such as “all”, ‘every”, “everyone”, which include the specific category of undocumented migrants. The existent case law, although characterized by scarcity because of the migrants’ fear of being deported when lodging claims in courts, emphasizes the fact that this social category also has rights and these rights are recognized and defended in national and European courts. The obstacles in accessing fundamental rights are also analyzed. The practical implications are taken into consideration. Ideas to improve the exercise of fundamental rights to work and healthcare by irregular migrants are suggested at the end of every chapter. Being human beings, they have the right to social protection regardless of their status.

What do undocumented migrants experience when they try to access healthcare? How do they navigate the (often contradictory) challenges presented by bureaucratic systems, financial pressures, attitudes to migrants, and their own healthcare needs? This urgent study uses a grounded theory approach to explore the ways in which undocumented migrants are included in or excluded from healthcare in a Swiss region. Marianne Jossen explores the ways migrants try to obtain healthcare on their own, with the help of NGOs or via insurance, and how they cope if they fail, whether by using risky strategies to access healthcare or leaving serious health issues untreated. Jossen shows that even for those who succeed, inclusion remains partial and fraught with risks. Based on interviews with migrants, health practitioners and NGO staff and using a rigorous academic approach, Undocumented Migrants and Healthcare is an important contribution to a vital contemporary issue. It is necessary reading for researchers in Public Health and Migration Studies, as well as government and non-governmental organisations in Switzerland and beyond. It will be of interest to anyone concerned with healthcare and migration in the twenty-first century.

This collection of essays is the outcome of an international conference on Irregular Migration and Human Rights, which gathered together prominent scholars, policy-makers and practitioners working in the migration and human rights field. The objective of the book, in contrast to the prevailing political approach which focuses almost solely on prevention, is to discuss the human rights dimensions of irregular migration from theoretical, European and international perspectives.

This study aims at providing a legal perspective on migration health in Europe through a review of European Community Law and Council of Europe instruments. Health inequalities between host populations and migrants, asylum seekers, refugees, victims of trafficking in persons and others in need of international protection and assistance persist in the region, both in terms of health status as well as in access to health services of equal quality. This study seeks to highlight the challenges to migration health within Europe, both in law and in its application. It is hoped that it brings us one step closer to ensuring respect for the right to health for all those who migrate, regardless of their status.

"This book can be read by anyone with an interest in migration and health, whether as an advocate for migrants´ health, as a student in a health profession, researcher or policy maker. It provides an ample orientation to the field in the European context. Among other important raised issues, it underlines an all too often neglected fact; health is a human right. By involving broad issues and problem areas from a variety of perspectives, the volume illustrates that migration and health is a field that can not be allocated to a single discipline." Carin Björngren Cuadra, Senior Lecturer, Malmö University, Sweden Migrants make up a growing share of European populations. However, all too often their situation is compounded by problems with accessing health and other basic services. There is a need for tailored health policies, but robust data on the health needs of migrants and how best these needs can be met are scarce. Written by a collaboration of authors from three key international organisations (the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, the EUPHA Section on Migrant and Ethnic Minority Health, and the International Organization for Migration), as well as leading researchers from across Europe, the book thoroughly explores the different aspects of migration and health in the EU and how they can be addressed by health systems. Structured into five easy-to-follow sections, the volume includes: Contributions from experts from across Europe Key topics such as: access to human rights and health care; health issues faced by migrants; and the national and European policy response so far Conclusions drawn from the latest available evidence Comprehensive information on different aspects of health and migration and how they can best be addressed by health systems is still not easy to find. This book addresses this shortfall and will be of major value to researchers, students, policy-makers and practitioners concerned with migration and health in an increasingly diverse Europe.

This publication aims to fill a significant knowledge gap on the human rights of irregular migrants. It seeks to describe barriers faced by irregular migrants in the exercise of such fundamental rights as the right to health, to education, to an adequate standard of living, to social security, and to just and favourable conditions of work, as well as trends and national policies, highlighting where possible examples of promising practice from around the world. It also draws attention to the guidance provided by international human rights law as well as related legal frameworks such as international labour law, and provides key messages on a human rights-based response to irregular migration.