The insights from this survey will contribute to a chapter in the forthcoming book: “Human Rights in Sustainable Public Procurement of Infrastructure – Roads, Stadiums and Hospitals”, edited by Olga Martin-Ortega and Laura Treviño Lozano and to be published by Edward Elgar.
Construction/expansion of hospitals and other medical facilities is an area of public procurement that has grown during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that is likely to continue growing in the context of countries’ economic recovery strategies.
Through the crucial first phases of a hospital construction project – siting, planning and finance, design and construction – multiple decisions are made that can risk harm to human rights. Examples include the displacement of local communities, localized pollution, exploitation of workers on the worksite or though material supply chains, or design decisions with direct implications for physical and mental health. Conversely, all of these decisions can be made ways that mitigate risks and maximize positive social outcomes.
As environmental impacts of hospital construction are increasingly taken into account, can we likewise see momentum for human rights-respecting approaches, in turn inspiring other areas of public procurement ? The book chapter will explore the obstacles to overcome, and the factors that will help unlock a sustainable approach.
Contact Annabel Short with any questions: bellshort [@] gmail.com