01996nas a2200169   4500000000100000008004100001653003900042653001300081653001700094100001000111700001100121245007100132856007900203300001000282490000700292520152700299       2018                            d10aNeglected tropical diseases (NTDs)10aInequity10aHuman Rights1 aSun N1 aAmon J00aAddressing inequity: Neglected tropical diseases and human rights.  uhttps://cdn2.sph.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/125/2018/06/Amon.pdf  a11-250 v203 a<p>Twenty neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are currently recognized by the World Health Organization. They affect over one billion people globally and are responsible for significant morbidity, mortality, poverty, and social stigmatization. In May 2013, the World Health Assembly adopted a resolution calling on member states to intensify efforts to address NTDs, with the goal of reaching previously established targets for the elimination or eradication of 11 NTDs. The resolution also called for the integration of NTD efforts into primary health services. NTDs were subsequently included in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, which calls for an end to the “epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and NTDs” by 2030. While both the World Health Assembly resolution and SDG 3 provide a strong framework for action, neither explicitly references the human right to the highest attainable standard of health or describes a rights-based approach to NTDs’ elimination. This article identifies key human rights relevant to NTD control and elimination efforts and describes rights-based interventions that address (1) inequity in access to preventive chemotherapy and morbidity management; (2) stigma and discrimination; and (3) patients’ rights and non-discrimination in health care settings. In addition, the article describes how human rights mechanisms at the global, regional, and national levels can help accelerate the response to NTDs and promote accountability for access to universal health care.</p>