Nurses, Public Health, and Human Rights: Their Role as Claim Holders, Duty Bearers, and Promoters of Social Change

Abstract

As Duty Bearers, nurses are prime guardians, not only of the right to life (as stated in Article 3 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “Everyone has the human right to life, liberty, and security”) but also the rights of women, the rights of children, and the rights of people in minority groups, among others. As Claim Holders, nurses have substantial claims towards labor rights, economic rights, maternity rights, and social protection rights, among others. This article presents systematic information about social determinants of health and explores nurses' inherent obligations in this domain, suggesting that nursing education must innovate, adding a human rights component to address the role of Promoters of Social Change.