The role of the European Union accession process for the right to health in Turkey in the post-reform period
Author
Üstünes, Benal Nazlı
Advisor
İnan, Yüksel
Date
2011Publisher
Bilkent University
Language
English
Type
ThesisItem Usage Stats
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Abstract
Since the initiation of the Health Transformation Programme in 2003 a series of
reforms in health and social security systems have been realized in Turkey. An
examination of the official documents related to these reforms in light of the
international right to health documents reveals that the former is coherent with the
latter, at least ostensibly. Considering the influence of the EU accession process on
Turkey as a candidate country, especially in issues concerning human rights, one
may expect to see a push from the EU in the issue of health, as well. However, an
examination of the EU‟s demands in the accession documents concerning the
health care system, reveals that EU does not have a strong human rights emphasis
in health-related issues, especially before 2003. Interestingly, a right to health
sensitivity in the accession documents begins to be observed after 2003, namely the
iv
initiation of the Health Transformation Programme. This shows that right to health
is not something the EU ignores, but it hesitates to put concrete demands
concerning it, be it because of the principle of subsidiarity, or the second class
position the Union attributes to economic and social rights vis-a-vis civil and
political rights. Whatever the reason is, the question whether the EU accession
process has a role in the right to health sensitivity of recent health reforms in
Turkey, can be answered negatively based on the accession documents.