Leyh Brianne McGonigle, Gispen Marie Elske
Associate professor at Utrecht University's Netherlands Institute of Human Rights, Department of International and European Law, Faculty of Law, Economics, and Governance, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Postdoctoral researcher at University of Groningen's Global Health Law Groningen Research Centre, Department of Transboundary Legal Studies, Faculty of Law, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Health Hum Rights. 2018 Jun;20(1):237-250.
Syria is currently experiencing the world's largest humanitarian crisis since World War II, and access to medicines for emergency care, pain control, and palliative care remains shockingly restricted in the country. Addressing the dire need for improved access to medicines in Syria from an international law compliance and accountability perspective, this article highlights four complementary legal frameworks: international human rights law, international drug control law, international humanitarian law, and international criminal law. It arrives at two central conclusions. First, all four bodies of law hold clear potential in terms of regulatory-hence compliance-and accountability mechanisms for improving access to medicines in times of conflict, but they are too weak on their own account. Second, the potential for on-the-ground change lies in the mutual reinforcement of these four legal frameworks. This reinforcement, however, remains rhetorical and far from practical. Finally, within this complex picture of complementary international legal frameworks, the article proposes concrete recommendations for a more integrated and mutually reinforcing interpretation and implementation of these areas of law to foster better access to medicines in Syria and elsewhere.
叙利亚目前正经历着自第二次世界大战以来世界上最大的人道主义危机，该国在获取用于急救、疼痛控制和姑息治疗的药品方面仍然受到令人震惊的限制。从遵守国际法和问责制的角度出发，解决叙利亚改善药品获取的迫切需求问题，本文着重介绍了四个相辅相成的法律框架：国际人权法、国际药物管制法、国际人道法和国际刑法。文章得出两个核心结论。第一，就改善冲突时期药品获取的监管——进而遵守——和问责机制而言，所有这四个法律体系都具有明显潜力，但它们自身的力量过于薄弱。第二，实地变革的潜力在于这四个法律框架的相互强化。然而，这种强化目前仍停留在口头上，远未付诸实践。最后，在这一复杂的相辅相成的国际法律框架图景中，本文提出了具体建议，以便对这些法律领域进行更综合、相互强化的解释和实施，从而促进叙利亚及其他地区更好地获取药品。
