WHO strategic meeting on Social determinants of health

12 – 13 September 2019

September 2019 -- The global Commission on Social Determinants of Health (2005-2008) drew unprecedented attention to the importance of addressing the Social determinants of health, in particular for health inequities. In 2008, the Commission submitted recommendations for action in the report “Closing the Gap in a Generation”. In 2012, WHO Member States approved an action agenda through adoption of the Rio Political Declaration around a set of key functions. As follow-up, several WHO initiatives have supported implementation. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development also underlines the importance of addressing social determinants.

Since 2018, a renewed WHO organization-wide commitment to acting on determinants of health, and therein, broader social determinants and health equity, has emerged, including as reflected in WHO’s 13th General Programme of Work 2019-2023. A new Department of Social determinants of Health was created recently to lead this effort. This provides an opportunity to strengthen the global narrative on the social determinants of health and re-define the scope of WHO’s work in this area.

A strategic meeting on Social determinants of health took place on 12-13 September 2019 at WHO Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

  • Celebrate achievements in the field of social determinants of health since the global WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health;
  • Review challenges and explore new opportunities for addressing the social determinants of health agenda;
  • Identify key areas of work and activities for the new WHO Department of Social determinants of health.

More than 50 international experts from governments and academia and over 40 WHO staff working on the determinants of health, health equity, vulnerable populations and related topics convened to discuss potential priorities for the future work of WHO to address the social determinants of health.

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