Health (Right to)

This case was presented by 49 victims—15 of whom had died while the case was being examined—and their family members, all of whom shared intersecting characteristics that made them more vulnerable to harm, such as living in poverty. The Court noted that Guatemala is the Central American country with the highest number of people living with HIV, approximately 52,000 people in 2018. The Guatemalan government attempted to address this crisis through legislation and public policy, including the availability of anti-retroviral therapy starting in 1999, but its response was inadequate.

Nell Toussaint challenged Canada’s denial of health care coverage to undocumented immigrants under the under the federal government’s program of health care to immigrants, called the Interim Federal Health Benefit Program. After exhausting domestic remedies, Toussaint brought her claims to the United Nations Human Rights Committee (Committee) under the optional complaints procedure (first optional protocol) to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Canada ratified in 1976.

The appellant, E.L., a 26 year old mother of four living with HIV, was charged and convicted in the lower court under Section 192 of the Malawian Penal Code (Code) for unlawfully (negligently) engaging in an act likely to spread a disease dangerous to life. The prosecution argued that the appellant “unlawfully, negligently and knowingly” breastfed the complainant’s baby, who was left in her care. At the time of the incident, E.L. was on Anti Retro Treatment (ART).