| A United Nations Decade for a Healthy World, 2011-2020 |
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A United Nations Decade for a Healthy World, 2011-2020, has been proposed as an innovative framework to mobilize public opinion and strengthen the collective commitment of all nations to the health of their peoples as a first priority. In preparation for the 2009 UN ECOSOC Annual Ministerial Review Theme: “Implementing the internationally agreed goals and commitments in regard to public health.” e-Group Discussion Part 2: On Emerging and Future Health Challenges, Volume 4-4 The United Nations Decade for a Healthy World, 2011-2020: Global Mobilization, Civil Society Action, Individual Participation and National Implementation A United Nations Decade for a Healthy World, 2011-2020, is proposed to the 2009 UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) as an innovative framework to mobilize public opinion and strengthen the collective commitment of all nations to the health of their peoples as a first priority. The UN Decade, 2011-2020, would be a catalytic worldwide call for "Health” (in its broadest definition) to become the global common cause and shared responsibility of all humanity. By developing such a universal action plan to build consensus about the goals for our common future, the UN could then implement a program that would enlist and involve seven billion individuals (“We the peoples of the United Nations”) in working together for a healthy world. In the World Health Report, 2008, “Health is no longer seen as being limited to survival and disease control but as one of the key capabilities people and societies value. This wider concept of “Health” could become a rallying point for all levels of society to work together for the common good." The WHO Commission on the Sustainable Determinants of Health has recently called for “governments, civil society, WHO, and other global organizations [to] come together in taking action to improve the lives of the world's citizens. Achieving health equity within a generation is achievable, it is the right thing to do, and now is the right time to do it.” The United Nations Decade for a Healthy World, 2011-2020 is a proactive global opportunity available to us (now) at just this “right time.” The Decade will need a framework enabling all sectors and all levels of humanity to join in a comprehensive strategy of sustained and meaningful activities, including:
Why a UN Decade for a Healthy World, 2011-2020? First, this United Nations Decade for a Healthy World, 2011-2020 can become an innovative framework to incorporate global health partnerships and collaborative arrangements to improve performance, reduce transaction costs and increase synergy of action aligned to country priorities. Second, this UN Decade, 2011-2020, can actively involve everyone contributing to the “healthcare” sector.” This can include highlighting activities addressing the growing magnitude of non-communicable diseases (such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes) and their modifiable risk factors (such as tobacco use, unhealthy diets,physical inactivity and harmful use of alcohol). This Decade can thus raise the priority which needs to be accorded to non-communicable diseases in development work at global and national levels. Third, the UN Decade, 2011-2020, can encourage and strengthen all needed activities to support birthing, healing, recovery from injury, the treatment of all infectious diseases (including HIV / AIDS) and bringing compassion and support to the dying. The UN Decade for a Healthy World, 2011-2020 can encompass innovations which strive for greater coordination and collaboration between all actors in health. At the same time, this Decade can be a focused framework where the roles different stakeholders play are better defined (including through collaborative inter-sectoral efforts) towards the achievement of public health goals. Fourth, an encompassing agenda for the UN Decade, 2011-2020, would establish significant links connecting “Health” with its critical social determinants including social justice, education, peace from violence and trauma, as well as all environmental considerations. Mandates to achieve economic, social and cultural development (through democratic governance structures empowering civil society initiatives and innovation) would also be enabled. Fifth, the UN Decade, 2011-2020, can encompass all sectors besides the health sector. It can be a global arena (where all stakeholders are involved cohesively around a comprehensive theme) in designing and implementing relevant strategies to influence the well-being of people across the human lifespan. The UN Decade for a Healthy World, 2011-2020 can include everyone working to bring the following:
And, sixth, the United Nations Decade for a Healthy World, 2011-2020, provides a global opportunity to swell the ranks of civil society (beyond the millions of people active now) to proactively involve hundreds of millions of concerned citizens, across the earth. Active participants in the UN Decade for a Healthy World, 2011-2020, can include:
Dr. Margaret Chan, World Health Organization Director General, sees “health as the driver” of all sustainable development, including economic, social and cultural advances. She notes that humanity's health can no longer be addressed by Health Ministers alone. “They need help” from all government Ministers, including from Finance Ministers, and from all sectors of society. In the wake of the global financial crisis, proactive investment in “Health” must now be seen as the strategic investment in overall human progress. As Dr. Chan has observed that if Health is seen as the key driver of all economic and social advances, this change in the way we appreciate Health's significance can maintain and enhance the favourable policy and resource trends for global health that have been established in the recent past. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon recently said, “I am determined to push… global health as one of my key priorities… not only because global health is an enormous challenge, but because we can do something about it. New actors and resources are pouring into the global health space as never before…But this won't amount to much if we don't ensure coherentand decisive action.” To have healthy peoples on a global scale involves teamwork worldwide. This requires developing many interlinked factors of individual and community well-being such as equity, justice, collaboration, understanding, appreciation and respect. As a universal plan of action, the United Nations Decade for a Healthy World, 2011-2020 will establish a framework for all sectors of society and all levels of humanity to cooperate, worldwide, in common concern and shared commitment. UNICEF's State of the World's Children 2009 has noted that "in parallel with the 2008 G8 Summit, a G8 Health Experts Group was established…. pledging to take comprehensive action to address the health-related Millennium Development Goals [MDGs]…. emphasizing the need for a longer-term perspective that extends beyond the 2015 MDG deadline, and the imperative of mobilizing a wide range of stakeholders.” The United Nations Decade for a Healthy World, 2011-2020 would strengthen this pledge and answer this longer-term need. This proactive program for 2011 to 2020 would provide the world community with a sustained opportunity to reshape and reform global systems around the life-affirming ideals held in common by all societies, regardless of creed or culture. Just imagine a world without needless suffering and sickness, where everyone seeks to be healthy, to contribute creatively to society and with active concern for the health of others. What a dynamic world it would be if our own good health and the health of others become the first priority for each of us and for our communities and our nations. This could happen in a decade—the United Nations Decade for a Healthy World, 2011-2020. Respectfully submitted on behalf of more than 19,000 individual “nurses and concerned citizens” from 87 UN Member States, including many leaders who represent organizations with millions of constituents worldwide, Deva-Marie Beck, PhD, RN International Co-Director Nightingale Initiative for Global Health (NIGH), Canadian Office#302, 20 Queen Elizabeth Driveway, Ottawa, ON, K2P 1C8 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it & This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Website: http://www.NightingaleDeclaration.net |