Event highlights
28 November 2024
The Regional Collaborative Platform for Europe and Central Asia (RCP-ECA), a gathering of heads of United Nations (UN) organizations working in the WHO European Region, was hosted for the first time by WHO/Europe at UN City in Copenhagen, Denmark. Together the leaders identified ways to further strengthen collaboration, and acknowledged the need to prioritize issues that will make the greatest difference to people given limited resources.
“The multilateral system is under threat, and we must rise to the occasion to prove its worth,” said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, in closing the meeting. “These challenges – from polarized political situations and shrinking civic space, to stagnation in progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals – are daunting, but I remain, as always, hopeful, and will work tirelessly to overcome them. On this, we stand together.”
Strong UN support for development of second European Programme of Work (EPW2)
During a dedicated session on the EPW2, Dr Kluge explained that as a large majority of people trust their primary health-care providers, health can be used as an entry point to address the lack of trust in public institutions. He outlined some of the priority areas in the development of the EPW2, including health security, climate change, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), ageing and primary health care.
Dr Melitta Jakab, Technical Lead on the EPW2, outlined the extensive consultative process being undertaken for its development in order to build ownership and connection and to “create a shared health and well-being agenda for the Region”.
Chairing the discussions, Ms Tatiana Molcean, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), praised the process underway to develop the EPW2, which uses digital tools, describing it as a good example for many.
The general feedback from the UN heads taking part in the gathering can be summarized as “Count on us.” Specifically, they identified the following areas of common interest and possible collaboration in the EPW2:
- United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): stronger integration of food safety and health, intersectoral collaboration, and building resilience in the agri-food context;
- International Organization for Migration (IOM): inclusion of migrants in universal health coverage (UHC), health systems strengthening along mobility corridors and points of entry to ensure continuity of care, the greater impact of climate-related health issues for migrants, and workforce skills mobility programmes;
- United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA): inclusion of sexual and reproductive health in UHC, the impact of climate change on fertility, cervical cancer prevention, investment in health throughout the whole life course, and gender-based violence;
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO): mental health and well-being, and using learning environments such as schools to provide education on issues such as stress reduction;
- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): the specific health vulnerabilities (including greater need for mental health services) linked to displacement, equitable access to health care including culturally sensitive services and continuity of care, and inclusion of refugee health data;
- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP): environmental risk factors linked to NCDs, a community approach to One Health, and antimicrobial resistance;
- United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF): prioritization of primary health care, collaboration on child and adolescent health, declining vaccination rates, obesity, and poor mental health;
- UN Women: the demographic transition (ageing populations) and its impact on the care crisis, the burden of domestic health care falling largely on women, and PHC as a main point of societal contact for people experiencing violence;
- Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS): a broader definition of health beyond the biomedical, and increasing access to new treatments by, for example, facilitating joint procurement;
- United Nations Volunteers (UNV): using UN volunteers to support health-related initiatives in low-resource settings; and
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): health system strengthening and digital health, climate-change resilient health systems, health equity and social determinants of health, innovative financing models, and the mental health of young people and older generations.
Accelerating One Health implementation
Representatives of the One Health Quadripartite – the FAO, the UNEP, WHO and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) – endorsed their joint workplan for 2025 at a dedicated meeting during the RCP-ECA. With a strong focus on integrating work across agencies and sectors, this workplan will accelerate One Health implementation across Europe and central Asia.
Participants also shared the following key achievements:
- WHO highlighted its new adaptation guide to support Member States in tailoring strategies to implement a One Health approach that suits specific priorities and addresses country challenges and gaps in health, as well as the designation of the WHO European Region’s first Collaborating Centre on One Health at University College Dublin (Ireland).
- The FAO shared that it joined forces with WHO and WOAH to offer a One Health online course uniting professionals from animal health, human health, wildlife and food safety sectors across Europe. Over 200 participants enhanced their skills through this tutored course, delivered via the FAO Virtual Learning Centre for Europe and Central Asia.
- WOAH highlighted the outcomes of the One Health seminar held in Vienna, Austria, co-hosted with the FAO, the UNEP and WHO. The event united 38 government agencies and regional organizations to advance the One Health Joint Plan of Action, addressing zoonotic threats and strengthening cross-sectoral collaboration.
- The UNEP underlined how One Health featured at the recent G20 in Brazil, and that the UN General Assembly adopted a political declaration on antimicrobial resistance in October.
Other organizations, including the UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA and UNV, expressed eagerness to combine efforts to operationalize One Health, underlining that the momentum gained from current activities must be sustained to ensure long-term benefits and systemic changes.
WHO/Europe’s special initiative on violence against women and girls
The development of a special initiative on violence against women and girls, discussed in a separate session, received full support from UN partners. This initiative will contribute to efforts to strengthen the women’s health agenda in the context of the Beijing+30 anniversary.
WHO has a unique opportunity to increase the health sector’s commitment to provide gender-responsive support to women and girls who have survived intimate partner violence and sexual violence. This initiative will be cross-cutting and will bring together programmes on mental health, sexual and reproductive health and rights, violence and injury prevention, the health workforce, behavioural insights, primary health care, digital health, and emergencies.
Event notice
21 November 2024
Over 30 participants from 19 United Nations organizations will gather in Copenhagen, Denmark on 21–22 November 2024 for a meeting of the Regional Collaborative Platform for Europe and Central Asia (RCP-ECA), hosted by WHO/Europe.
This will provide an opportunity for WHO/Europe to consult United Nations colleagues for the first time on the development of the second European Programme of Work (EPW2) 2025–2030, a new strategic vision and prioritized 5-year health agenda for the European Region. Given the powerful megatrends impacting the Region’s social, economic and health landscapes, gathering the perspectives of United Nations partners on priorities in health for development, and identifying opportunities for strategic collaboration across agencies are essential.
EPW2 will draw on extensive consultations with Member States and partners, to foster dialogue on health, and establish shared ownership in its delivery. This new agenda for health in the European Region will be put to Member States for adoption in October 2025.
The first European Programme of Work, 2020–2025 – “United Action for Better Health” coordinates efforts around 3 core priorities: moving towards universal health coverage, protecting against health emergencies and promoting health and well-being.
Other health-related topics on the RCP-ECA meeting agenda include accelerating One Health implementation, and working together to address violence against women and girls.
Additional issues to be discussed are accelerating Sustainable Development Goal progress at Regional and national levels, strengthening data and statistics for sustainable development, the shrinking space for civil society across the Region, collaboration with the European Union, and enhancing the role of the Peer Support Group in providing technical coordination and quality assurance to United Nations country teams.
About the RCP-ECA
At Regional level, the RCP-ECA brings together all United Nations entities working on sustainable development to ensure collaboration and coordination to address shared challenges. These meetings take place regularly online, and in-person twice per year, with one gathering in Geneva, Switzerland and a second at the location of a host organization.