The European Union, in a statement delivered on 17 June 2026 at the 62nd session of the UN Human Rights Council, reaffirmed that human dignity is a foundational principle of the right to health and expressed support for a human rights-based approach to health systems. The statement, delivered during an interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to health, welcomed the rapporteur's focus on dignity and stressed that all human rights derive from the inherent dignity and equal worth of every human being.
The EU voiced concern that discrimination, stigma and social exclusion continue to undermine the enjoyment of the right to health, particularly for persons in vulnerable situations. It underlined the importance of addressing social determinants of health such as education, housing and social protection, and said it promotes policies to reduce these barriers. The EU also welcomed the report's emphasis on participation, autonomy, informed consent and accountability, stating that health systems should ensure no one is left behind.
Under the Global Gateway strategy, the EU mobilises public and private investments to strengthen healthcare capacities worldwide, facilitating investment in infrastructure and the regulatory environment. The statement concluded by asking the Special Rapporteur which measures have proven most effective in translating the principle of human dignity into practice within health systems.
The statement was delivered by the EU delegation in Geneva, with no named official quoted directly. The intervention aligns with the EU's longstanding advocacy for health as a human right and its support for UN human rights mechanisms. No prior EU statements on this specific dialogue were recorded in the available coverage.