State Sovereignty and Health Rights: A Study of Legal Frameworks for Service Delivery to Migrant Populations
Keywords:
Health Access, Migrants, Refugees, International Health Law, Procedural Rights, Policy Implementation, State SovereigntyAbstract
The legal aspects of healthcare for migrants and refugees present a complex intersection of state sovereignty, international human rights law, and practical implementation. This literature study analyzes how national legal frameworks reconcile the authority to control immigration with obligations under international law to realize the right to health for all individuals within a state's jurisdiction. It further examines the critical role of procedural rights and operational policies in determining effective access to care. The findings reveal that reconciliation often results in tiered access models linked to immigration status, influenced by regional jurisprudence and public health rationale. However, at the implementation level, formidable barriers such as fears over confidentiality, excessive documentation requirements, linguistic obstacles, and discrimination frequently undermine legal entitlements. The study concludes that robust legal frameworks must be coupled with deliberate investments in health system infrastructure including interpreter services, staff training, and firewalls between health and immigration authorities to translate normative rights into tangible health outcomes. Ensuring equitable healthcare in contexts of human mobility requires continuous attention to both the design of inclusive laws and the minutiae of service delivery.
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