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Is privatisation of health care compatible with international human rights law? User fees, economic accessibility, and maternal health care Gema Ocana Noriega (24292565) PUREID: 668781209 Privatisation right to health user fees economic accessibility maternal health care affordability women's rights courts This thesis asks: is privatisation of health care compatible with international human rights law?<br><br>International human rights law frames itself as neutral on privatisation: it is neither for nor against it. In line with this, it does not specify how health care services should be delivered or paid for, as long as the provision of health care is consistent with human rights obligations. However, as this thesis demonstrates, this neutrality is more apparent than real. Furthermore, this is a positive and necessary development within international human rights law, which should be acknowledged and deepened.<br><br>The thesis develops this argument by looking at the introduction of user fees in health care. It demonstrates that these fees jeopardise the human rights principle of economic accessibility, which is a component of the Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability and Quality (AAAQ) framework that forms part of the human right to health.<br><br>The thesis´ case study is the impact of the introduction of user fees on access to maternal health care by socio economically disadvantaged women. Four legal cases, spanning the High Court of Delhi, the European Court of Human Rights, the High Court of Kenya and the High Court of Nigeria are explored in detail.<br><br>The thesis shows that privatisation in general, and privatisation of health in particular, often fails to comply with international human rights law and specifically with States’ obligations in terms of affordability, and it concludes that the human rights principle of economic accessibility is a useful lens to test the compatibility of user fees in health care, and more broadly, the compatibility of privatisation of health care, with international human rights law.<br> 2026-10-01T16:17:21Z Text Thesis 10.17034/32805224.v1 https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/Is_privatisation_of_health_care_compatible_with_international_human_rights_law_User_fees_economic_accessibility_and_maternal_health_care/32805224 All Rights Reserved