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Contribution short abstract

The People’s Health Movement mobilize activists to address the recovery of the natural environment and ecosystem and its contribution to health.

Contribution long abstract

Introduction

Communities experience growing displacement, the loss of social services, land, water and livelihood, and health problems resulting from exposure to toxics. These issues result from a global extractivist project driven by global financial capital promoting an unsustainable and inequitable development model that threatens people’s health and the health of the planet.

Method

To deal with these challenges, the People’s Health Movement mobilize activists to address the recovery of the natural environment and ecosystem and its contribution to health. PHM’s thematic circle supports programmes such as the International People's Health University, a short course for health activists focussing on the political economy of health. It also supports the WHO Watch programme through which PHM follows the WHO and other UN agencies, through their Assemblies and Executive Boards. Watchers call upon country delegates to protect the right to health in the context of environmental degradation and to take action to end imperialist control of the earth’s natural resources.

Results

PHM enabled a greater voice and activism among the younger generations, women, and indigenous peoples who learn on environment ecosystem and share experiences to defend and protect people’s health.

More than 1000 activists from more than 80 countries attended the IPHU and the WHO Watch.

There are policy dialogues with PHM participation in several Latin America and Asia countries on environmental justice.

Future directions

Despite these achievements, PHM has yet to improve its in-country engagement for policy dialogues especially in African and European countries.