Region: Americas
Year: 2011
Court: Constitutional Court [Corte Constitutional]
Health Topics: Disabilities, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Occupational health, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right to health, Right to social security
Tags: Access to health care, Disabled, Maternal health, Occupational accident, Occupational disease, Social security
This case was a review of the constitutionality of the Agreement on Social Security signed between the governments of Spain and Ecuador, to provide nationals working in the companion State with the same benefits as they would receive in their home country. In Spain’s case, this required provision for temporary disability during mass outbreaks of illness, maternity and at-risk pregnancies, and permanent disability, among others, and in Ecuador’s, for sick leave, maternity leave and disability insurance, among others. This was the only judicial instance for this decision.
Considering that the Agreement would protect the right to social security, a primary right guaranteed by the State which formed an integral part of the fundamental right to a person’s well-being, and considering that the Agreement did not restrict or limit any other constitutional rights or guarantees, the Court held that the Agreement was constitutional.
“Constituye uno de los deberes primordiales del Estado: 2.-Garantizar sin discriminación alguna el efectivo goce de los derechos establecidos en la Constitución, y en los instrumentos internacionales, en particular la educación, la salud, la alimentación, la seguridad social y el aguaparasus habitantes.”
“One of the State’s primary responsibilities is to: 2.- Guarantee, with no discrimination whatsoever, the effective enjoyment of the rights set forth in the Constitution and international instruments, in particular the rights to education, health, food, social security and water for the State’s inhabitants.”
“Es importante destacarque el derecho a la seguridad social es un derechoque se halla interrelacionado con otros derechos fundamentals que también se encuentran amparados por la Constitución de la República, principalmente, con derechoscomo: a una vida digna; el derecho a la igualdad; el derecho a la salud; el derecho al Trabajo, y el derecho a la seguridad social.”
“It is important to note that the right to social security is a right that is interrelated with other fundamental rights that are also protected by the Constitution of the Republic, primarily such rights as: the right to a dignified standard of living; the right to equality; the right to health; the right to work; and the right to social security.”