UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

59^th session

Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to health 

19 June 2025

EU statement

Thank you, Mr. President.

The EU thanks the Special Rapporteur for preparing the report and for her presentation. The report underscores the crucial role of health and care workers for the realization of the right to health.

Health and care workers indeed represent the backbone of health systems. Unfortunately, as the report shows, very often they are subjects of discrimination on various grounds, affecting their well-being and the quality of care provided.

We appreciate the report’s comprehensive approach, addressing the systemic factors that perpetuate inequities within the health field. Given that women make up two-thirds of the global health and care workforce, special attention should be paid to the elimination of gender pay gap and related factors pushing unpaid caregiving and domestic labor on women.

The EU recognizes the need for a transition to a sustainable and resilient health sector, while upholding the core principles of universal access to high quality care.

In this sense, the current EU4Health programme (2021- 2027) was developed to address the long-term health challenges by building stronger, innovative and more accessible health systems. Moreover, we have developed a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework impacting health and care workers, focusing on their professional qualifications, occupational safety, and workplace protections. 

Madame Special Rapporteur,

How can we effectively ensure that mental healthcare for health workers is accessible, quality and confidential in all circumstances?

Thank you.