Syria’s Health Crisis: A Guide to Human Rights and UN Agencies Efforts for the Right to Health

This document is part of a series of notes aimed at providing an overview of key economic and social rights. It offers guidance to partners on utilizing relevant human rights norms and accessing information about the OHCHR Syria Office, WHO, the Health Sector/Cluster, and other UN agencies’ activities in addressing violations of these rights.

One focus of this note is the right to health as outlined in international human rights law (IHRL) and its application in the context of the armed conflict and crisis in Syria, where international humanitarian law (IHL) also applies. It discusses how the OHCHR Syria Office advocates for state policies to promote this right and how the UN contributes to achieving these objectives.

The OHCHR supports various groups and teams, such as the Whole of Syria Strategic Steering Group, the Humanitarian Country Team, and the Humanitarian Liaison Group, in their efforts to address the right to health. Additionally, it offers policy advice on the human rights approach to health to key entities like the Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator, Regional Humanitarian Coordinator, Deputy Regional Humanitarian Coordinator, and WHO as the Cluster Lead Agency for the Health Sector/Cluster.