Global Health Watch is a non-government initiative aimed at supporting civil society to more effectively campaign and lobby for ‘health for all’ and equitable access to health care. It aims for political mobilisation to shift resources and attention towards the needs of the poor, and to reform the political and social institutions that have generated ill health around the world. The Global Health Watch provides a platform for academics, activists and non-governmental organisations from as many countries as possible to:
- Promote the accountability of governments and global institutions that affect health (such as the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the World Bank)
- Identify policies and practices at the global and national levels that are unfair, unjust and bad for health
- Highlight the needs of the poor and reinvigorate the principle of ‘health for all’
- Shift the health policy agenda to recognise the political, social and economic barriers to better health and to advocate alternatives to market-driven approaches to health and health care.
The Global Health Watch will look at some of the most important global health problems, suggest solutions, and monitor the efforts of institutions and governments concerned with promoting health worldwide. The first Global Health Watch report, the Alternative World Health Report, is scheduled for launch at the People’s Health Assembly in July 2005. [adapted from website]