“Why is Health Care a Human Right?” This is the question students need to answer in this year’s 13th Annual Human Rights Essay Contest in partnership with Missouri History Museum. The contest is open to all middle school and high school students in the metro St. Louis area and the deadline is this Saturday (October 31).
Health Care is included in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Students can address these discussion questions in their essay: Why hasn’t the US ratified the International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights which
contains the right to health? Should income determine the quality of your health care?
Why do racial disparities exist in health care regardless of income? Should immigrants have access to our health care system? What do you think about the current public debate on health care?
At the high-school level prizes of $200, $100, and $50 will be awarded to
the best essays while at the middle-school level the prizes will be $100, $50, and
$25. Honorable-mention prizes will also be awarded.
The essay must be no more than 500 words (preferably typed). The deadline for
submitting essays is October 31, 2009 . They should be sent to the St. Louis
Coalition for Human Rights, P.O. Box 5277 , St. Louis MO 63115 or by e-mail to
stlc4hr@yahoo.com. All entries should include a cover page that gives full name, address, phone number, grade level, and school of the student.
The winning essays will be read by their authors at the annual Human Rights Day program on December 10.