Summary

The Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health visited Costa Rica from 18 to 31 July 2023. The Special Rapporteur was encouraged by the fact that the country offers almost complete, universal coverage through the Costa Rican Social Security Fund. She noted good practices, including the adoption of specific legislation, policies and agreements in that regard. She remains concerned about the challenges related to mental health exacerbated by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in particular affecting youth, as well as the specific types of discrimination affecting marginalized groups of the population, including persons with disabilities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, asexual and other sexually or gender-diverse persons, migrants, asylum-seekers, refugees, Indigenous Peoples, persons of African descent, persons deprived of their liberty and persons who use drugs. She recommends that Costa Rica collect disaggregated data from an intersectional perspective to inform policy and the allocation of resources.

The Special Rapporteur noted efforts on sexual and reproductive health rights and recommends that Costa Rica imposes a moratorium on the application of criminal laws concerning abortion.