Toward Equity for All: Room 4 / Salle 116
11:00AM - 12:40AM (Sorbonne Université)
Health and Wellness Seen as Human Rights by the Minimum Vital in 1930
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Alba Elizabeth Melgar, Gloria Velásquez
Vitalism is the generic term Alberto Masferrer assigned to his body of ideas that presupposes a strong humanistic impulse and a belief in the inherent right of all persons to a minimum standard of living. Masferrer called his Social Doctrine, “El Minimum Vital." With “minimum vital,” he refers to the basic rights shared by all humans, such as adequate nutrition, clothing and shelter, potable water, access to employment, education and health care, fair justice, rest, and recreation. Vitalism, for Masferrer, is a moral code for living that has found proponents from Pico de la Mirandola to Bergson and to the Salvadoran Christian Democratic movement in 1960 that improved general conditions through co-operation and not revolution. To Masferrer’s mind, the strength of a nation and the health of its citizens were directly proportionate, and it is within this framework that he emphasized widespread access to food, education, culture, and a productive occupation. Masferrer confined himself to discussions of social and economic reforms instead of political revolutions. This paper considers these reforms in contrast this historical moment through an analysis of the United States. Known as the most advanced country in the world, the U.S. is still debating if we should have Universal Health Care, the same principle that was proposed in The Minimum Vital over ninety years ago in a Third World Country, El Salvador.
Corruption in the Health Sector View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Rodolfo Gutiérrez
Corruption is increasing at the world level affecting the right to health. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the challenges and opportunities of States in the fight against corruption in the Health Sector. Using a qualitative and descriptive approach with a documentary research design this project evaluated 100 documents in databases such as Scopus, Scholar, and Pubmed. The study found that States should undertake a radical transformation of the monitoring process in the health sector by adopting new digital technologies, data mining, and artificial intelligence. Governments must adopt new measures of supervision by improving technology in order to reduce the high levels of corruption and guarantee the Right to Health
Breathing New Life into Museums View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Liz Feld
Prior to COVID, museums were already struggling to remain relevant. Over the last eighteen months, the growing focus on structural and institutional racism has highlighted the problematic role of museums as guardians of history, given that collections were often sourced through fraught and violent histories. These shifts in attitude have compelled museums to examine colonial contributions and to assess a path forward that incorporates multiple narratives and attracts community engagement. The most effective way to achieve these goals is through partnerships with relevant organizations. In Canada, there have been few initiatives between museums and health care institutions to support local communities even though research has shown the efficacy of mental health and educational interventions in museum settings. This paper examines the potential for museums to create partnerships that genuinely support the needs of local communities. In Canada, this is particularly important amongst rural populations and Indigenous communities where they often lack access to resources that are sensitive to individual cultures and experiences. The benefits of shifting focus to become a community institution as opposed to guardian of history will position the museum to become an essential resource thereby ensuring a more solid future path.
