Report Civil Society Participation 5 th European Conference on Migrant and Ethnic Minority Health 1 Pre-Conference Working Session “Perspectives of the Civil Society” Organizing Institutions Financing Partners Supported in part by a Grant from the Open Society Foundations This publication arises from the 5th EUPHA European Conference on Migrant and Ethnic Minority Health which has received funding from the European Union, in the framework of the Health Programme (2008 – 2013) 5th EUPHA European Conference on Migrant and Ethnic Minority Health Report Civil Society Participation 5 th European Conference on Migrant and Ethnic Minority Health Working Group of the Organizing Committee Carlos Artundo Purroy Amets Suess Ainhoa Ruiz Azarola Olga Leralta Piñán Daniel López Jaramillo Ainhoa Rodríguez García de Cortázar Andalusian School of Public Health, 2014 5th EUPHA European Conference on Migrant and Ethnic Minority Health Index 1. Introduction ___________________________________________________ 1 2. Participation Formats ____________________________________________ 2 2.1. Advisory and Participatory Committee _______________________________________ 3 2.1.1. Objectives of the Advisory and Participatory Committee _____________________ 3 2.1.2. Participating Organizations ____________________________________________ 4 2.1.3. Face-to-Face Meeting _________________________________________________ 5 2.1.4. Online Discussion Forum _____________________________________________ 12 2.2. Best Practices Abstract Format ___________________________________________ 13 2.3. Scholarship Policy _____________________________________________________ 13 2.4. Civil Society Participation during the Conference ______________________________ 12 2.2.1. Pre-Conference _____________________________________________________ 15 2.2.2. Conference ________________________________________________________ 22 2.2.3. Parallel Activities ____________________________________________________ 25 2.4. Granada Declaration ___________________________________________________ 27 3. Evaluation of Civil Society Participation _____________________________ 28 3.1. Evaluation of Civil Society Participation by the Organizing Committee ____________ 28 3.2. Evaluation of Civil Society Participation by the Conference Attendees ____________ 30 4. Conclusions and Recommendations ________________________________ 34 5th EUPHA European Conference on Migrant and Ethnic Minority Health 1. Introduction On April 9 – 12, 2014, the 5th EUPHA European Conference on Migrant and Ethnic Minority Health took place in Granada, Spain, opening a forum for scientific knowledge and experience exchange, and involving 332 delegates. The general objective of the Conference was to provide a forum for sharing and disseminating current knowledge and practice in migrant and ethnic minority health care among policy makers, public health experts and practitioners, researchers, health and social care professionals, as well as civil society representatives, in order to analyse the impact of the economic crisis in the social and health status of these vulnerable populations, and to develop strategies to ensure their access to quality health care services. The specific objectives of the Conference included: • To disseminate cutting-edge theory and practice in the field of migrant and ethnic minority health. • To analyse the impact of the economic crisis on migrants and ethnic minorities’ health and access to health care, as well as related changes in health systems and policies. • To analyse the impact of the economic crisis on specific health care issues, such as HIV prevention and treatment, occupational health, mental health and health promotion of migrants and ethnic minorities. • To analyse and share strategies, responses and good practices from different social stakeholders and within a multidisciplinary approach (health care professionals, politicians, NGOs, associations and citizens) in the context of the economic crisis. • To exchange and develop strategies to advance health equity and to reduce migrants and ethnic minorities poverty and social exclusion in the context of the economic crisis. • To analyse the specific situation regarding migrants and ethnic minority health in newer EU member states, particularly those in Eastern Europe that are becoming key transit-countries. • To share new research methodologies and intervention approaches applied to migrants’ and ethnic minorities’ health at a local, regional, national and international level. • To stimulate collaboration between various stakeholders as well as between various research disciplines to deal with the field of migrant and ethnic minority health in a comprehensive way. • To support existing networks in the field of migrant and ethnic minority health and to promote new collaborative schemes to strengthen its development and institutionalisation in decision making processes. 1 5th EUPHA European Conference on Migrant and Ethnic Minority Health • To encourage collaboration and communication among EU public health agencies and experts advocating for a research, practice and policy agenda for migrant and ethnic minority health at a regional, national and European level. • To identify future research and intervention priorities in the field of migrant and ethnic minorities health care. Furthermore, the Organizing and the International Scientific Committees focused specifically on promoting the interaction between academia, civil society and policy makers, as well as on facilitating civil society participation in the Conference. This focus was based in the recognition of the collective knowledge contributed by civil society perspectives, as well as the importance of promoting an interaction between different stakeholders in the current moment of economic and systemic crisis. In the following report, the different participation formats, as well as their methodologies, objectives and outcomes will be presented. Furthermore, the evaluation of the Organizing Committee and the Conference participants regarding civil society participation will be summarized. The report ends with recommendations regarding civil society participation addressed to the organizers of upcoming EUPHA European Conferences on Migrant and Ethnic Minority Health. 2. Participation Formats The following participation formats were developed with the aim to facilitate civil society participation at the Conference. • Advisory and Participatory Committee • Specific best practices abstract format focused on social intervention projects • Scholarship policy • Civil Society Participation in the Conference Pre-Conference Activities Plenary Session II Closing Ceremony Oral and Poster Communications Workshops Parallel Activities • Granada Declaration 2 5th EUPHA European Conference on Migrant and Ethnic Minority Health 2.1. Advisory and Participatory Committee Parallel to the Organizing Committee and the International Scientific Committee, an Advisory and Participatory Committee was created, with the objective of introducing civil society perspectives in the Conference, developing ideas related to civil society participation at the Conference and opening a space for discussing participatory methodologies and ethics in the field of migrant and ethnic minority health. With the creation of the Advisory and Participatory Committee, a new participation format was introduced in the EUPHA European Conferences on Migrant and Ethnic Minority Health. This Committee counted on the participation of representatives of civil society organizations proceeding from the Andalusian, Spanish and European context. The activities of the Advisory and Participatory Committee included the celebration of a Face-to-Face Meeting, ongoing communication by means of an Online Forum, as well as contributions to the organization of Pre- Conference and Parallel Activities. The objectives of the Advisory and Participatory Committee, as well as the participating organizations were announced on the Conference website: http://www.eupha-migranthealthconference.com/?page_id=1364. 2.1.1. Objectives of the Advisory and Participatory Committee The Advisory and Participatory Committee was set up with the following objectives: • To facilitate contact and networking with civil society representatives in order to encourage their participation in the event. • To organize a civil society representatives’ encounter in the Pre-Conference. • To increase the visibility of civil society’s viewpoints around migrant and ethnic minority health. • To open debate around the social compromise of researchers and research ethics, especially in participative approaches. • To strengthen the articulation between organized civil society, researchers and policy-makers on public health policies. 3 5th EUPHA European Conference on Migrant and Ethnic Minority Health 2.1.2. Participating Organizations The following organizations form part of the Advisory and Participatory Committee. Participating Organizations Advisory and Participatory Committee ACCEM, Spanish Catholic Migration Association (ACCEM, Asociación Comisión Católica Española de Migraciones) Anarquerando, Roma Association (Anarquerando, Asociación Gitana) Andalusia Acoge Network (Andalucía Acoge) Andalusian Sociocultural Roma Centre (Centro Sociocultural Gitano Andaluz) CEPAIM, Foundation for Social Coexistence and Cohesion (CEPAIM, Fundación Convivencia y Cohesión Social) Doctors of the World (International Network) Doctors of the World (Spanish Network) (Médicos del Mundo) EPHA, European Public