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Successful HeRWAI lobby with regards to new Dutch health bill
Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR), Aim for human rights, Doctors of the World, Dutch League for Human Rights (LVRM), IFHHRO and Amsterdam Solidarity Committee Refugees (ASKV) are satisfied that a proposal for a new Dutch health bill has been adjusted. Together with the other health and human rights organisations, WGNRR and Aim for human rights had set up a lobby to change the draft bill which would violate the human rights of undocumented (commonly called 'illegal') pregnant women in the Netherlands. The negative effects of the proposed bill had been discovered by WGNRR, using a Health Rights of Women Assessment Instrument (HeRWAI) study.
The Dutch government acknowledges - by ratification of several human rights conventions - that the government should not create any barriers for access to health care for women. However, the law reform would lead to several such barriers.
The modificated Health Care Insurance Law (31 249) aims to increase uniformity in the funding arrangements for health-care providers who suffer income loss from treating uninsured and undocumented patients who are unable to pay. The draft bill stated that all directly accessible health-care providers, including midwives, will merely receive 80% compensation, while at the moment they are fully reimbursed. The new bill would thus create a financial barrier to treat undocumented patients, which negatively influences the accessibility of obstetrician care.
As for not directly accessible health care, only contracted providers will be able to receive compensation for the care they provide to undocumented patients. In short, the implementation of the draft bill would reduce the accessibility of reproductive health-care facilities to undocumented pregnant migrants and therefore violates their right to health, equality and non-discrimination.
The organisations sent a letter to the Minister of Health and to the all-party parliamentary commission on health on 21 April. In this letter the most important preliminary findings of the HeRWAI (Health Rights of Women Assessment Instrument) analysis, conducted by the WGNRR, were outlined.
Besides WGNRR and Aim for human rights the letter was signed by four important stakeholders in this field: IFHHRO, Amsterdam Solidarity Committee Refugees (ASKV), Doctors of the World, and the Dutch League for Human Rights (LVRM). On 22 April the draft bill was accepted by members of the House of Commons. Fortunately, the amendment demanding a 100% compensation for providers of obstetrician care was accepted.
Unfortunately, an other recommendation has not yet been followed: it remains necessary that more hospitals are contracted, to limit travel time and costs for undocumented pregnant women that need (sometimes immediate) care.
On 2 June 2008, the results of the HeRWAI research will be presented in Amsterdam, followed by a group discussion on recommendations to the Dutch government.
Click to read more about lobby conclusions
