On 17 June 2026, the Special Rapporteur on health presented her report on health as an enabler of dignity, highlighting the intrinsic relationship between health and human dignity.

H.E. Ambassador Marie-Thérèse Pictet-Althann delivered a statement welcoming the Special Rapporteur’s report and reflecting on how the Order of Malta’s worldwide humanitarian activities embody this understanding, emphasizing that dignified healthcare in emergencies requires equitable access to care, respect for privacy, informed consent, and protection of health workers, as well as attention to patients’ spiritual and religious needs. The Ambassador asked the Special Rapporteur how a dignity-based approach to health can better ensure respect for freedom of religion or belief, particularly in conflict and disaster situations.