People work together to improve health and well-being through prioritizing equity, developing strategic delivery alliances and fostering good governance. RHN complements work for health carried out at the national level by working with subnational actors.

Since 1993, the WHO European Regions for Health Network (RHN) has helped regions to accelerate the delivery of improved population health. RHN is committed to the implementation of Agenda 2030 and the European Programme of Work (EPW), 2020 –2025. The Network is instrumental in efforts “to support local living environments that enable health and well-being”.

In particular, RHN aims to:

1. secure universal access to quality care without financial hardship;
2. protect against health emergencies;
3. ensure better health and well-being at all ages;
4. aim at equitable solutions, leaving no one behind.

RHN has developed over the decades into a forum that:

• creates synergies between regions and stakeholders in the field of health (mutual learning);
• strengthens cooperation/collaboration between regional and local actors and international health institutions;
• increases understanding of the functioning of regional and local health systems;
• promotes the exchange of experience, and mutual learning.

The roles of the regions participating in RHN are to:

• facilitate and advocate the right to the highest level of health for all;
• develop and implement action that promotes health and reduces health inequalities;
• act as a bridge between national goals and local delivery;
• collect and distribute data at the regional level;
• collaborate with other regions on seeking funds.

RHN positions itself at the forefront of innovative approaches and aims at becoming a cutting-edge network ready to capture and disseminate effective approaches, policies and strategies that improve population health at the regional level of governance.