A Strategy for WHO

Sustainable Development: Brundtland Legacy n 1987: World Commission on Environment and Development (The “Brundtland Commission”) n “Our Common Future”: Coined the term Sustainable Development: –”Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”

Economic Development Trade Finance Investment Technology Transfer Environmental Development Oceans Atmosphere Forests Climate Social Development Health Education Energy Water Food Sustainable Development

Sustainable Development: Rio Legacy n 1992: UNCED –Rio Declaration (“ Human beings are at the centre of concerns for sustainable development. They are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature” ) –Agenda 21 : Global Programme of Action on Sustainable Development –Global Conventions –CSD and Task Manager system

Rio Legacy: The Health Gap n Chapter 6 Agenda 21 –Focus on: n Primary health care n Communicable diseases n Urban health n Pollution and hazards n Vulnerable groups –Inadequate attention to: n Health and poverty alleviation n Health risks and determinants beyond communicable diseases n Health impacts of development policies and practices n Globalisation and health

WHO Contribution to the WSSD An unprecedented opportunity to show why health needs to be seen as central to the development process.

Four Themes / Messages n Ill-health hampers poverty alleviation and socio-economic development n Environmental degradation, mismanagement of natural resources and unhealthy consumption patterns/lifestyles impact on health n Development policies and practices need to take into account current and future impacts on health n New partnerships and reform measures are needed inside and outside the health sector

Key Elements of the WHO Strategy (1) n Assessing the Evidence and Tracking Progress –Thematic reviews –Institutional and policy reviews –UN critical trends report –Report on cross-sectoral policy and intervention strategies

Key Elements of the WHO Strategy (2) n Defining the issues and policy positions: Dialogue among key partners n Nov 2001: Health think-tank meeting (Norway) n Jan 2002: Interministerial health meeting (SA) n Feb - June 2002: Intergovernmental prepcom meetings and associated events n May 2002: WHA roundtables n Aug 2002: Implementation conference (SA) n Sep 2002: Johannesburg Summit

Key Elements of the WHO Strategy (3) n Advocacy and Awareness-raising: n Development of WSSD Website n Production and dissemination of Fact sheets/Issue/Policy briefs n Production and dissemination of Media briefs n Multistakeholder virtual dialogues n Presentations key target groups: missions, G77 etc

Key Outcomes for WHO n Health issues feature centrally in the final conference documentation/declaration n Renewed commitment to implementation of the health aspects of Agenda 21 n Concrete plan of action in place on identified priorities for health and sustainable development n Announcement of major global initiative on health and sustainable development n Agreement on mechanisms to improve intersectoral action, including institutional strengthening for HIA n New partnerships/alliances in place

A Strategy for WHO