Global Health Governance and Human Rights

Advancements in medical science and technology have the potential to transform global health, but they also bring ethical challenges related to fairness, accessibility, and equity. Intellectual property laws and governance structures, while encouraging innovation, can inadvertently limit access to essential treatments, particularly in underserved regions. Balancing the need for innovation with the imperative of equitable healthcare requires careful policy design and global cooperation. Addressing these issues is vital to ensuring that medical breakthroughs benefit all populations, not just those with economic or geographic advantages. Global Health Governance and Human Rights provides a comprehensive and interdisciplinary examination of the ethical dimensions of healthcare innovation and the mechanisms that either promote or restrict access to life-saving medical treatments. By engaging with diverse perspectives, including those from law, medicine, global health governance, and human rights advocacy, it offers practical insights into how to reconcile the competing demands for innovation and equity. Covering topics such as affordable pharmaceuticals, right to food, and transgender persons, this book is an excellent resource for academicians, legal professionals, policymakers, healthcare practitioners, and those working in global health governance.

Jyothis Mary is a Legal Professional who holds a Master of Laws in Transnational Crime and Justice from the University for Peace (UN Mandated) and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, Italy. Additionally, she holds an LL.M. in Corporate and Commercial Law from Alliance University, Bangalore, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Rights Law from National Law School India University, Bangalore. She completed her B.A., LL.B. from Kannur University, graduating first out of her cohort. She began her professional career as an Advocate at the District Court Kozhikode, India. She also worked with the Kerala Legal Services Authority as a paralegal volunteer. Subsequently, she transitioned her career to academia and research. She worked as an Assistant Professor of Law with prestigious institutions in India. During her tenure as an Assistant Professor at REVA University, Bangalore, she has been the faculty coordinator for the Moot Court Association, IPR Cell, ADR Cell, International Relations and Research Collaborations, and the Women Grievances Redressal Cell. In these capacities, she has organized several workshops, national level moot court competitions, expert lectures, and participated in various academic programmmes. She also worked with the International Justice Mission as a Legal Fellow, where she conducted law and policy research on human trafficking, migration, slavery, and forced labour. Currently, she is practicing at the High Court of Kerala, India. She is also a Teaching Scholar at the Centre for Trafficking, Exploitation, and Modern Slavery Studies, Hume Institute for Postgraduate Studies, Switzerland. She has presented her research at various international conferences, chaired conference sessions, and published several research papers on organized crimes, human trafficking and smuggling, antiquity trafficking, and terrorism financing. Her research interests include international criminal law, human rights, transnational organized crimes, bonded labour, and migration laws.

Akanksha Madaan is an Assistant Professor of Law with expertise in Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). Currently teaching at REVA University, Bangalore, she has a proven track record in both academic and scholarly work. Her teaching portfolio includes subjects such as IPR, Insurance Law, Women and Law, Air and Space Law, and Maritime Law. As the Faculty Coordinator of multiple centers, including the Intellectual Property Rights Strategies and Advancement Centre, she has actively organized and participated in various academic programs, lectures, and workshops. Akanksha holds an LL.M. from NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, with a specialization in IPR, and has completed her Ph.D. coursework at Gujarat National Law University, focusing on Geographical Indications. Her dedication to research has earned her several prestigious awards, including the Prof. Ranbir Singh Best Legal Researcher Award. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, she actively contributes to national and international conferences, presenting papers on critical topics such as environmental justice, human rights, and intellectual property. Aakanksha is also a member of several professional organizations, underscoring her commitment to academic excellence and legal scholarship.

Dr. Amit Anand is a scholar of International Human Rights Law with a particular focus on gender-based violence, caste-based discrimination, and the intersection of law, culture, and social exclusion. He holds a PhD in Law from Lancaster University, UK, where his doctoral research critically examined culturally entrenched and institutionally neglected forms of violence against women in India, including witch-hunting, honour killings, and the Devadasi system. Dr. Anand also holds an LL.M in Human Rights from the University of Reading, UK, and a B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) from the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru.

Alicia Danielsson , a distinguished academic and researcher, currently leads the Centre for Contemporary Coronial Law at the University of Bolton, a role she assumed in September 2022. In addition to this significant position, she also serves as the Director for the Centre for Trafficking, Exploitation and Modern Slavery Studies at the Hume Institute for Postgraduate Studies in Lausanne, Switzerland. This dual role underscores her commitment to addressing some of today’s most pressing legal and humanitarian issues. Alicia’s academic journey led her to earn her Ph.D. at Abertay University, Dundee, in 2021. Her thesis, titled ‘Economic Activity or Public Order Limitations: The Interplay of the Regulation of Prostitution between National Law, EU Law and Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking,’ reflects her deep expertise in EU law, employment law, criminal law, contract law, and human rights law. Her research interests are rooted in the intricate dynamics of legal frameworks, with a particular focus on the area of freedom, security, and justice, as well as EU labour law and human rights protection. In her role as an Assistant Teaching Professor in Law, Alicia is deeply involved in the academic and operational management of her centres, fostering a Teaching Intensive, Research Informed (TIRI) culture. She is known for her cross-disciplinary engagement and her ability to blend critical analysis with practical insights in her teachings.