The Spirit of Human Rights: Universal Health Coverage in Makueni County, Kenya

In view of the United Nations’ goal to achieve universal health coverage (UHC) by 2030, this paper investigates MakueniCare, the highly successful UHC program in Makueni County, Kenya, to reveal the spirit of human rights underlying it. Drawing on international, Kenyan, and Makueni County law and po...

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Main Authors: Esther Kamau, Gillian MacNaughton
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Harvard FXB Center for Health and Human Rights 2024-12-01
Series:Health and Human Rights
Online Access:https://www.hhrjournal.org/files/2024/12/kamau.pdf
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author Esther Kamau
Gillian MacNaughton
author_facet Esther Kamau
Gillian MacNaughton
author_sort Esther Kamau
collection DOAJ
description In view of the United Nations’ goal to achieve universal health coverage (UHC) by 2030, this paper investigates MakueniCare, the highly successful UHC program in Makueni County, Kenya, to reveal the spirit of human rights underlying it. Drawing on international, Kenyan, and Makueni County law and policy, as well as 30 interviews with government and civil society leaders in health care policy and programming at the national and county levels, we examine the human rights law and principles that underlie the adoption and implementation of MakueniCare. We first set out key human rights principles grounded in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the 2010 Kenyan Constitution, and then describe the research design and methodology of the project. Then, we analyze the data collected to highlight the various ways in which the adoption and implementation of MakueniCare were influenced by human rights, particularly the right to health. We conclude with thoughts on how MakueniCare could be further improved from a human rights perspective.
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spelling doaj-art-b7f8ad6ba94f485f80d26d09e3e76abd2024-12-30T09:24:13ZengHarvard FXB Center for Health and Human RightsHealth and Human Rights2150-41132024-12-012622537The Spirit of Human Rights: Universal Health Coverage in Makueni County, KenyaEsther Kamau0Gillian MacNaughtonResearch manager at the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Boston, United States.In view of the United Nations’ goal to achieve universal health coverage (UHC) by 2030, this paper investigates MakueniCare, the highly successful UHC program in Makueni County, Kenya, to reveal the spirit of human rights underlying it. Drawing on international, Kenyan, and Makueni County law and policy, as well as 30 interviews with government and civil society leaders in health care policy and programming at the national and county levels, we examine the human rights law and principles that underlie the adoption and implementation of MakueniCare. We first set out key human rights principles grounded in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the 2010 Kenyan Constitution, and then describe the research design and methodology of the project. Then, we analyze the data collected to highlight the various ways in which the adoption and implementation of MakueniCare were influenced by human rights, particularly the right to health. We conclude with thoughts on how MakueniCare could be further improved from a human rights perspective.https://www.hhrjournal.org/files/2024/12/kamau.pdf
spellingShingle Esther Kamau
Gillian MacNaughton
The Spirit of Human Rights: Universal Health Coverage in Makueni County, Kenya
Health and Human Rights
title The Spirit of Human Rights: Universal Health Coverage in Makueni County, Kenya
title_full The Spirit of Human Rights: Universal Health Coverage in Makueni County, Kenya
title_fullStr The Spirit of Human Rights: Universal Health Coverage in Makueni County, Kenya
title_full_unstemmed The Spirit of Human Rights: Universal Health Coverage in Makueni County, Kenya
title_short The Spirit of Human Rights: Universal Health Coverage in Makueni County, Kenya
title_sort spirit of human rights universal health coverage in makueni county kenya
url https://www.hhrjournal.org/files/2024/12/kamau.pdf
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