Civil society meetings related to WHO EB140

Friday, 20 January 2017, 10-16 hrs
Civil society brainstorming meeting
“Let’s talk: Economic determination
of health policies and governance”

In addition to the “traditional” civil society strategy meeting taking place on Saturday (see below), the Geneva Global Health Hub (G2H2) invited civil society activists to a full day “brainstorming meeting” to be used for a conversation about basic references and objectives of our political work beyond and below the thematic silos and EB agenda items. In order to overcome a mostly reactive way of working, we proposed to have more interaction on the complex realities and political agendas behind these processes and topics.

Referring to inspiring similar meetings in which some of us have participated over the last years, the organizers provided, within a roughly defined structure, an open and democratic space for joint reflection and brainstorming, learning and sharing among activists engaged in global health (in a broad, interdisciplinary sense) but coming from various background, counting on all participants as experts and committed to engage in a free dialogue. It all worked well. The quality of our conversation and not the concrete outcome in terms of agreed strategies, plans or statements  made the meeting remarkable – laying a ground for the more concrete work and strategizing that took place on Saturday.

Venue: Maison des Associations
Programme details: PDF
Concept note: PDF
Contact for enquiries: Thomas Schwarz

Saturday, 21 January 2017, 9.00 to 16.00 hrs
Civil society strategy meeting

The “new tradition” of civil society strategy meetings ahead of the meetings of the WHO Governing Bodies was launched in January 2015 when the MMI Network invited “colleagues from civil society organizations who have regularly participated, over the last years, in meetings of the WHO governing bodies and who have shown, in addition to the promotion of their own particular advocacy topic, a strong interest in defending and strengthening the regulatory, policy making and normative role of WHO.”

Ahead of EB140 a broader group of organizers including TNW, PHM and G2H2 hosted another full day meeting of briefings and joint strategizing on key issues of the EB140 agenda, with half a day focusing on institutional/governance issues (WHO Financing, FENSA, the DG elections) and the other half day on other issues and agenda items to be selected and introduced by the WHO Watch team and all participants.

Venue: South Centre
Programme details: PDF
Contact for enquiries: Mirza Alas