[afro-nets] Second People's Health Assembly 2005

[Claudio Schuftan <claudio@hcmc.netnam.vn>]

Second People's Health Assembly 2005
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THE PEOPLE´S HEALTH MOVEMENT AND THE ECUADOREAN NATIONAL FRONT
FOR THE HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE

FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT:
Second People's Health Assembly

18-23 July, 2005
Quito, Ecuador

VENUE: Ecuador is located in the northwest part of Latin Amer-
ica. It has a history of people?s struggles in the defence of
health and life. Ecuador is a country rich in natural and cul-
tural resources with populations that are world renown. Inter-
nally there is a huge contrast between poverty and social ine-
quality, on one hand, and the dominant economic and political
groups that are directly responsible for this situation on the
other. The awareness of the people about the situation has gen-
erated important processes leading to unity and mobilization.

THE PROCESS
The Second People?s Health Assembly will be the result of a
process of local and national reflection, discussion and debate,
and of the exchange of experiences of communities and networks
as well as conferences and workshops about the aspects that in-
fluence the health and well being of everyone.

At the same time there will be a joining together of campaigns
and mobilizations of organizations and groups of people from
around the world. One such campaign is ?Health Now, No to War
and the WTO?.

OBJECTIVES OF PHA II
O To promote and extend the People?s Health Movement as a space
that works for the revival of the spirit of Health for All.

O To strengthen global action on the Right to Health as a funda-
mental human right.

O To enlarge the debate and to exert the resistance to all
mechanisms that violate the right to health of the people, many
represented as neo- liberal reforms, globalization or militari-
zation.

O To share knowledge and practices of alternative models of the
promotion and provision of community health.

THE CONCEPT OF HEALTH
?Health is a social, economic and political issue and, above
all, a fundamental human right. Inequality, poverty, exploita-
tion, violence and injustice are at the root of ill-health and
the death of poor and marginalized people. Health for All means
that powerful interests have to be challenged, that the negative
aspects of globalization have to be opposed, and that political
and economic priorities have to be drastically changed.? (Peo-
ple?s Charter for Health)

VISION
?Equity, ecologically-sustainable development and peace are at
the heart of our vision of a better world - a world in which a
healthy life for all is a reality; a world that respects, appre-
ciates and celebrates all life and diversity; a world that en-
ables the flowering of people's talents and abilities to enrich
each other; a world in which people's voices guide the decisions
that shape our lives. There are more than enough resources to
achieve this vision.? (People?s Charter for Health)

THEMES OF THE PHA II
The preliminary themes that have been identified for the PHA II
O Health as a fundamental human right.
O Health care reforms and the right to health.
O Health and Indigenous Peoples; Natural and Traditional Medi-
   cine.
O HIV and AIDS
O Population Sectors and the demand for health: youth, women,
   children, the elderly.
O Militarization: an affront to health.
O Free trade agreements: The World Trade Organization and its
   repercussions on the health of the people.

ACTIVITIES DURING THE ASSEMBLY
Groups and organizations are encouraged to sign up for the di-
verse activities of the PHAII. There will be conferences, testi-
monies, panel discussion, poster sessions, artistic presenta-
tions and rallies. Following the Assembly, there will be oppor-
tunities for exposure trips to areas in Ecuador.

TENTATIVE CALENDAR
Registration of events: Deadline March 31, 2005
Registration of participating organizations: Deadline May 15,
2005
Individual registration: Deadline May 31, 2005

FOR INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
National Front for the Health of the People
(Frente Nacional por la Salud de los Pueblos)
Telefax: +593-7-288-4765
mailto:iphc.sa@etapaonline.net.ec

International People's Health Council - IPHC
Telefax: +505-2-662-225
mailto:info@iphcglobal.org

Secretariat of the PHA II
mailto:phaII@phmovement.org