Sector brief on Foreign affairs July 2015 Health 2020: Foreign policy and health Synergy between sectors: ensuring global health policy coherence Summary The Health 2020 policy framework has also fostering healthy and resilient com- • support the mobilization of adequate been adopted by all Member States of the munities and economies in the European resources for global disease control, uni- WHO European Region in order to address Region and beyond. versal health coverage and joint action to Europe’s great social and health challenges, improve global health security; calling upon the health sector to reach out Foreign policy can help to create healthier • promote approaches within development to, and work with, all the various sectors people and communities by: financing that contribute to increasing and parties in the continuous work of • strengthening global mechanisms and health equity and address the social improving people’s health and well-being. processes to enable an informed and determinants of health; and Today’s greatest challenges are global and coordinated response by the international • working with the health sector to reduce require a common, coordinated response. community to major challenges affecting gender-based inequalities, including sexual, By working together, health and foreign people’s health and well-being, including reproductive health and rights, violence affairs can contribute to improving the living security issues; against women and in the humanitarian and working conditions of individuals, fam- • ensuring policy coherence between and security context. ilies and communities, reduce inequalities health, foreign policy and development, and support human development, not only including trade policies and commercial improving good health and well-being but determinants of health; Key messages The goal of Health 2020 is to significantly improve the health and well-being of populations, reduce health inequalities, strengthen public health and ensure people-centred health systems that are universal, equitable, sustainable and of high quality. 1 Health and wellbeing are public goods and assets for human development that contribute to strong, dynamic and creative societies. 5 2 Social progress is best mea- Health and well-being are sured by objective indicators best achieved if the whole of of health, health equity and government works together, well-being, and this includes and Health 2020 promotes whole- the conditions in which people of-government and whole-of- are born, live and work. society approaches. 4 3 Different countries, cities Health and well-being and communities are at different can be improved and health starting-points; each is unique and inequalities reduced, through can pursue common goals through the right policies and working different pathways. with other sectors. 2 Health 2020: Foreignaffairs Strengthening the link between health and foreign policy In 2012, all 53 Member States in the Globalization, including the rise of global European Region adopted Health 2020, trade in goods, environmental degradation the new common European health policy as well as conflict and human migration, framework, and committed themselves to has health as a key element. As unhealthy developing integrative policies that engage goods and lifestyles spread around the with all sectors in addressing the social globe, it takes a global response to coun- and economic determinants of health teract the increase in noncommunicable and well-being. This cannot be achieved diseases. Foreign policy and diplomacy through domestic policy alone: health offer important instruments to address policy today requires joint action to address intersectoral, multilevel and multilateral collective problems facing all countries. The policy-making and can complement and link between health and foreign policy in support national policy efforts. Ensuring a globalized world has been most obvious that foreign policy supports health and in the response to communicable disease makes effects on health a key consideration outbreaks and builds on the historical tradi- for foreign policy, development and invest- tion of sanitary agreements between states. ment strategies is crucial. Bacteria, viruses and parasites do not stop at national borders regardless of political or diplomatic agreements. World Health Organization 3 Health 2020: a framework for action The goal of Health 2020 is to significantly improve the health and well-being of populations, reduce health inequalities, strengthen public health and ensure people-centred health systems that are uni- versal, equitable, sustainable and of high quality. All Member States of the WHO European Region have What makes societies prosper and flourish can also agreed to monitor progress against six common targets: make people healthy, and policies that recognize this have more impact. Building awareness and capacity to make health objec- 1. Reduce premature mortality in tives part of society’s overall socioeconomic and human the European Region by 2020 development is essential. All policy fields, including health, need to reform their ways of working and use new forms and approaches to policy at the global, 2. Increase life expectancy in national and local levels. the European Region 3. Reduce health inequalities in the European Region 4. Enhance the wellbeing of the European Region population 5. Ensure universal health coverage and the right to the highest attainable level of health 6. Set national goals and targets related to health in Member States. 4 Health 2020: Foreignaffairs Synergy between sectors: using foreign policy to improve health Strengthening the link between foreign policy and better health Many areas of domestic health are strongly • The health component in foreign policy energy demand. In addition, the global influenced by global developments, such design to address security concerns could action to address the effects on climate as trade in goods and services, intellectual be seen as the most prominent interlink, change gives global health challenges an property, especially in relation to medi- particularly to mitigate and respond important position to be integrated into cines, migration of health professionals to the outbreak of infectious diseases foreign policy strategies. and climate change. Many determinants of such as HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, SARS, • Many countries implement health pro- health are subject to international treaties influenza A (H1N1) and Ebola. Pandemics grammes as part of their development that require ratification and implementation are more likely to originate in countries and humanitarian commitments. Health at the national level. This includes not only with a poor health system, thus posing a can also be an important instrument the explicitly health-related treaties such as threat to the international community. of soft power and relationship-building the International Health Regulations and the • Foreign policy-makers have the opportu- between countries, especially when co- WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco nity to address the significance of health operating in other areas of foreign policy Control but also human rights treaties, trade to economic and social development by is difficult. agreements and environmental regimes. designing and contributing to domes- One of the most important international tic and global socioeconomic policy The outcomes of foreign policy can signif- negotiations for health at present is the pro- frameworks. Good health is essential for icantly influence global health, the health cess to define the Sustainable Development human development. A strong health of low- and middle-income countries and Goals – given their role for all countries and system is crucial for national and interna- the domestic health of countries in the not only low- and middle-income countries. tional security. Given the increased global European Region. Health is an important Since foreign affairs ministries primarily interconnection, ensuring health is on the component of the global portfolio of negotiate these, it is critical that both health foreign policy agenda could ensure coher- foreign ministries and relevant for many and development ministries be involved in ence in economic discussions including dimensions from security to stability. It is preparing the negotiations so that health enhancing trade relationships. a part of science diplomacy as much as and health impact are considered through- • Health as a vital component in foreign commercial diplomacy and a feature in rela- out the goals. policy, when engaging in post-conflict tionship-building between countries when development and responding to natural it is difficult to cooperate in other areas and The nexus between foreign policy has disasters, has been increasingly acknowl- therefore a key partner for the health sector. become increasingly accepted in three edged, mainly through humanitarian key global agendas: security, social and action frameworks. The impact on health economic development and post-conflict or has been included in foreign policy to re- emergency action. spond to global crises including food and World Health Organization 5 Synergy between sectors: creating policy coherence to put health high on the political agenda How can the sectors work together? Health 2020 provides a platform for such KEY AREAS TO EXPLORE TOGETHER INCLUDE: joint working between health and foreign affairs. Working together, we have the • fostering policy coherence across health,