The role of international cooperation in establishing human rights: Brazil, the Portuguese-speaking African Countries and the right to health

Abstract

This paper discusses the possibility of perceiving international cooperation as a legal instrument for the establishment of the human right to health. Firstly, it was found that the Portuguese-speaking African Countries (PALOP) – Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique and St. Thomas and Prince – recognize health as a right, be it in their constitutions, be it through international law. However, historically, these countries have had enormous difficulties in the implementation of this right and North-South international cooperation faces many contradictions in the task of promoting social and economic development. The horizontal cooperation between Brazil and each of these countries – through bilateral actions – is studied in this paper. Data analysis suggests positive elements and also aspects that can be improved in the cooperation among developing countries. And the set of agreements signed allows a prospective analysis of health cooperation, considering its improvement as a South-South mechanism to guarantee rights.