Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #112665

Sarah Shannon, Hesperian Foundation, 1919 Addison St., #304, Berkeley, CA 94704, 510-845-1447, sarahs@hesperian.org

In light of objective evidence that the 1978 Declaration of Alma Ata's commitment to 'Health for All' remains an unrealized ideal, the first People's Health Assembly in December 2000 brought together more than 1500 delegates from 76 countries with the demand of "Health for All, Now". From that gathering was born the People's Health Movement, a global movement committed to the vision of health as a basic, universal human right with the understanding that social and economic determinants must be addressed to achieve 'Health for All'. This presentation will provide an overview of the origins and development of the movement and highlight its accomplishments at local, statewide, national, and international levels. Sarah will explain the efforts of grassroots groups involved with People's Health Movement to work together on critical community health issues and the social and economic determinants affecting people's health. She will discuss and provide examples of current organizing efforts around successful international compaigns to address trade and economic development policies that negatively impact community health, such as those that limit access to essential medicines, and agricultural trade agreements which increase poverty, food insecurity and malnutrition.

Learning Objectives:

• Explore the core concepts of the People's Charter for Health as a grassroots vision for achieving the promises of the Alma Ata Declaration
• Describe the effect of trade agreements on community health and grassroots response to policies that negatively impact people's health
• Evaluate the impact of grassroots health organizing on policy at local, national, and international levels.

Keywords: Community-Based Care, Policy/Policy Development

Related Web page: www.phmovement.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.