Protecting the health of mothers and children as a global public good in the example of the united nations’actions Cover Image

Ochrona zdrowia matek oraz dzieci jako globalne dobro publiczne na przykładzie działań ONZ
Protecting the health of mothers and children as a global public good in the example of the united nations’actions

Author(s): Hanna Kelm
Subject(s): Family and social welfare, Welfare services, Sociology of Politics
Published by: Uniwersytet Ignatianum w Krakowie
Keywords: mothers and children health care; global public goods; the United Nations;

Summary/Abstract: RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The goal of this article is to answer the research question: Can the actions of the United Nations towards protection of the health of mothers and children be considered as a global public good? THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: The article uses mainly the non‑reactive methods, such as official documents and statistical data analysis, content analysis and comparative methods. A case study was conducted in order to investigate the role of the United Nations in improving global health of mothers and children. THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: The first part of the article presents the concept of global public goods and the place of global health among global public goods. The second part analyzes the current activities of the United Nations to improve the health of mothers and children. These activities are also evaluated for their effectiveness and further prospects of implementation. RESEARCH RESULTS: The United Nations provide global support in maternal and child health care and these actions are meeting the criteria of the global public goods. CONCLUSIONS, INNOVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The existing UN activities related to the protection of maternal and child health on a global scale (which so far took place mainly through the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals) proved to be effective. However, increasing scope of the planned UN activities related to sustainable development and growing costs of achieving these objectives, may result in a decrease of effectiveness in their implementation. To assess the situation correctly, it is necessary to wait for the first effects of the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

  • Issue Year: 8/2017
  • Issue No: 24
  • Page Range: 79-98
  • Page Count: 20
  • Language: Polish