Page 74 - Human Rights

Faculty of Nursing
Adult care Nursing Department

• Victims of human rights violations involving professionals should have a mechanism to initiate a

complaint and to have it properly addressed by professional regulatory bodies as well as by the

criminal justice system.

• Nursing associations should review their role as defenders of nurses at risk to ensure that they
are able to mount the most effective intervention in such circumstances. Unless it appears likely

to put individuals at risk, associations might campaign or publicize the cases of individual nurses

or bodies of nurses in danger of, or suffering, human rights violations.

• Nursing associations should examine mechanisms for establishing a presence and visibility in
high-risk situations in order to reduce the risk of human rights violations

as well as speaking out on ethical and human rights aspects after episodes of human rights abuse.

• Nurses’ and midwives’ associations should address issues of stigma and discrimination in health

care through awareness campaigns and encouraging the challenging of unacceptable behavior.

This is particularly important with respect to HIV/AIDS and mental health but is also relevant to a
number of other health issues.

• Nursing associations should ensure that nursing research relevant to social issues, such as the

health and human rights aspects of sex work, are communicated to government and to policy
forums.

• Nursing associations should ensure that they have clear channels of communication with the
government, including relevant ministries and the parliament, to ensure that effective

mobilization of nursing skills, strengthening of nursing capacity and protection of nurses’ and
midwives’ rights is guaranteed.

71 Academic Year 2025/2026