Advisory Note by OHCHR: The Syrian Arab Republic’s Right to Health (December 2023) [EN/AR]

This document is part of a series of notes intended to provide an overview of key economic and social rights, offering guidance to partners on utilizing relevant human rights norms. It also serves as a resource for information about the activities of the OHCHR Syria Office, WHO, the Health Sector/Cluster, and other UN agencies in responding to violations of these rights.

One of the rights discussed in this note is the right to health under international human rights law (IHRL), focusing on its application in the context of the armed conflict and crisis in Syria where international humanitarian law (IHL) is also relevant. The document outlines how the OHCHR Syria Office actively supports state policies that promote the realization of the right to health and how the UN contributes to these efforts.

OHCHR collaborates with various groups such as the Whole of Syria Strategic Steering Group, Humanitarian Country Team, and Humanitarian Liaison Group to address the right to health. It also provides policy advice on the human rights approach to health to key entities including the Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator, Regional Humanitarian Coordinator, Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator, WHO as the Cluster Lead Agency, and the Health Sector/Cluster.