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Research Report: Digital Health Rights: Inception Paper 

Sara (Meg) Davis, Nerima Were, Tara Imalingat

The paper explores the intersection of digital health technologies and human rights, addressing opportunities and challenges posed by digitisation in health systems. It emphasises inequalities, governance gaps, and the empowerment potential of digital tools, particularly for marginalised groups.

Key insights include:

– Digital technologies in health can amplify inequalities if governance fails to prioritise equity and inclusion.

– Marginalised groups, including women, LGBTQ+ communities, and those living with HIV/TB, face disproportionate risks in accessing digital health services.

– Biased data and algorithms risk reinforcing existing inequalities, emphasising the need for robust legal frameworks.

– Digital health offers empowerment potential through participatory approaches, community-led monitoring, and rights-based governance.

– Regional and national legal mechanisms remain inconsistent in addressing data privacy, discrimination, and socio-economic rights.

The paper calls for rights-based, inclusive governance of digital health technologies to address inequalities and empower marginalized communities. Collaborative policymaking and robust legal protections are crucial to harness the transformative potential of digital health while safeguarding human rights.

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