ELLA Spotlight on knowledge: Spotlight on Publications: Intercultural Health Policies in Latin America

Abstract

Historically, indigenous peoples’ access to health services in Latin America has been limited due to a variety of social, economic and cultural factors. An inter-cultural approach to public policies, especially when promoting the inclusion and participation of indigenous people in policy design, is seen as a way to guarantee indigenous peoples’ right to health according to their own customs and traditions. These policies can also successfully put indigenous rights issues on the public agenda of governments. The following selection of publications that focus on intercultural health policies includes documents that explain how policies with an intercultural approach can be designed and implemented. Others present analysis of the status of indigenous peoples’ right to health, in order to identify the challenges they face in accessing health services and offer recommendations. The publications also highlight a variety of Latin American experiences, carried out by governments as well as by civil society organisations, networks and social movements. These initiatives seek to include an intercultural approach to health while at the same time raising awareness among the population at large, helping to open spaces for participation and reflection about how best to design and implement intercultural health policy