Special Rapporteur on the right to health

Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health

Purpose of the mandate

For millions of people throughout the world, the full enjoyment of the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health remains a distant goal. In many cases, this goal is becoming even harder to reach. This is especially true for those in vulnerable situations including, among others:

• indigenous peoples
• migrants and refugees
• internally displaced people
• people affected by extreme poverty
• minority communities
• people with disabilities
• people who live in residential institutions
• people in detention
• people who use drugs
• LGBT and gender diverse persons

The mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right to physical and mental health was created to:

• Gather, request, receive and exchange information on the realization of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health;
• Foster dialogue on possible cooperation with relevant actors, including Governments, the UN—and in particular WHO and UNAIDS—NGOs and financial institutions;
• Report on the realization of the right to health throughout the world, including on laws, policies, good practices and obstacles, making recommendations to promote and protect this right and to support States’ enhancement of public health; and
• Address specific cases of alleged violations of the right to physical and mental health for everyone.

More about why the right to health is an important human rights issue

About the mandate

The mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right to physical and mental health was originally established by the Commission on Human Rights in April 2002 by resolution 2002/31.
The mandate was endorsed and extended by the Human Rights Council with resolution 6/29 of 14 December 2007, and was most recently renewed by resolution 60/10 of 6 October 2025.

More about the mandate

Current mandate holder

At its sixty-second session in July 2026, the United Nations Human Rights Council appointed Ms. Mariângela Batista Galvão Simão, from Brazil, as Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. Mariângela Batista Galvão Simão is a medical doctor specialized in paediatrics, public health and maternal and child health, with extensive experience in public health policy and the promotion of the right to health.

Throughout her career, Mariângela Batista Galvão Simão has worked in public health at municipal, state, federal and international levels, combining policy experience with a deep understanding of the social determinants of health. Her work has focused on ensuring equitable access to health services, medicines, vaccines and other health products, without discrimination.

Read Mariângela Simão's full biography