Alliance members call for Human Resources for Health to become a unifying theme for global health advocates
The Alliance Secretariat, in cooperation with the Health Workforce Advocacy Initiative (HWAI), convened the first informal consultation of advocates and communicators on Human Resources for Health, on 19-20 November 2009 in Geneva, Switzerland.
About 30 representatives from the Alliance member civil society groups, health care professional associations, media and international organizations participated in the meeting specifically aimed at reflecting on achievements and lessons learnt so far, while developing shared vision and priorities for 2010-2011.
The meeting has brought together delegates from France, Japan, India, Italy (representing a network of European NGOs), Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Uganda, UK and the USA. Participants represented health care professional associations (such as the International Council of Nurses, World Dental Association, World Pharmacists Organization, World Medical Association and World Health Professions Association), independent media, international organizations such as Global Fund, WHO, IHP +, and NGOs (such as Action for Global Health/CESTAS, ACOSHED, Action Group for Health, Human Rights and HIV/AIDS (AGHA Uganda), Africa Japan Forum, Africa Public Health Alliance, AMREF, Health Alliance International, HealthGAP, Merlin, Physicians for Human Rights, Wemos) and the Alliance Secretariat.
Many of the participating NGOs are members of the Alliance-funded advocacy group - HWAI, and have been highly instrumental in raising policy and resource commitments at the global level.
Some key issues raised at the meeting were:
- Alliance advocates and communicators would like to keep learning from each other and working together to achieve our common objectives, which are to raise awareness, leadership and investment along the Six Strategies of the Kampala Declaration and Agenda for Global Action for HRH.
- Advocates and communicators would like to receive more guidance and coordination from the Alliance and WHO on common messages at the global level for their broader use in global, regional and national level advocacy and communications efforts on HRH issues, in the forms of overarching number target or goal on HRH.
- Key events and opportunities such as the WHO Global Code of Practice, Global HRH Forum in 2011 and the Alliance Champion and Special Advocates' Programme were generally supported and members requested the Alliance CAN (Communications, Advocacy and Networking) team to provide all members with a common platform for interaction and collaboration to guide implementation of shared vision and commitments for 2010-2011.
The Alliance Secretariat is working to open a new community of practice on HRH communications and advocacy for all Alliance members to be able to share knowledge, experiences and to collaborate with each other to achieve common objectives.
Related links:
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Read the ADVOCACY AND COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY of the Global Health Workforce Alliance: 2009 to 2011
pdf, 212kb -
French
pdf, 354kb -
Spanish
pdf, 361kb
