Tuesday, July 22, 2008

G8 and Global Health

Human Security Approach for Global Health, The Lancet, July 5th 2008

Toyako Framework for Action on Global Health, Report of the G8 Health Experts Group

1. Summary

Published on the eve of the G8 Summit, both papers are meant as a memento and a recommendations list for the world’s leaders and their countries’ policies in terms of global health. Needless to say, as a the heads of the world’s leading economies, these leaders are the key to increasing the international aid scheme, so vital for achieving the MDGs, for eliminating infectious diseases, decreasing maternal and child mortality ratios, reinforcing sexual health measures and family planning and other health related international targets.

The first paper focuses on the need to reinterpret access to basic health services on a human rights basis, targeting individuals and not just communities at large. Written by a team of Japanese experts, it is rather specifically addressed to the Japanese government, praising its past initiatives and claiming rapid further development of health-related support in the future. The second paper is more comprehensive and represents a list of general recommendations regarding strengthening of commitment and financing in the field of global health and it is equally based on a dual approach of praising past achievements and reiterating the need for further improvement. Both papers agree on the imperious necessity of including global health on this and future G8 meetings’ agenda.

2. Discussion points

Although different in length and approach, both papers focus on similar issues and address one same request to the G8 leaders: commit more to improving basic health services in the developing world. As the secretary of the Oxfam Japan International Volunteer Group, I have been largely exposed to this year’s G8 campaign entitled Me Too and focusing on the same global health-related issues like the studied articles. It is indeed a sign that cross-sectoral advocacy has not neglected the field. However I have to say from this year’s campaign’s experience that however necessary to balance requests and suggestions with praise and positive observations, the Japanese government has yet a long way to go towards a truly inclusive framework where NGOs can indeed participate or at least be enabled to carry on their activities unhindered. Moreover, the G8 leaders also have quite a lot to catch up when it comes to supporting the health-related MDGs and increasing (instead of decreasing, as in the case of Japan) their ODA is one essential step further.

 

Posted by Klara at 05:17:36 | Permalink | Comments (1) »

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Climate Change

As the G8 Summit is to start first thing in the morning tomorrow, the question of climate change, although unfortunately (or not so…) removed from the center of the discussion in favor of the upcoming economic crisis, is getting back in the limelight once again.

The United Nations University organised a great conference on the topic last Friday July 4th and I thus had the priviledge of hearing some if not the most prominent scientists in the field giving their knowledge, opinion and hopes about what the world has lying ahead.

The prospects are quite grim. Global warming is now inevitable and there’s a lot of doubts concerning the will and capacity of our political leaders to take up the drastic measures needed to minimize its effect in the years to come.
On a personal level, I have become more and more aware about my wasting habits recently. The food I eat, the garbage I produce, all the plastic bags that are poured on me every day here in Japan, the easines with which I throw away things without questioning their recyclibility, etc.

But as stated at the conference, no matter how much I struggle to improve things in my daily life, this will remain just a symbolic gesture, as the world now accutely needs a wider, more dramatic change. However, this doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t have faith and try and do our best to give our contribution to the struggle for more responsible global measures to decrease carbon emissions, develop inovative technologies and prepare for handling the catastrophic times to come. And the best way to do so is by sustaining our own individual examples of carbon emissions management and transport usage with an effort to raise awareness and press our governments throughout the world to address the issue of climate change more responsibly.

Here are some things you can do in this respect, with just a click:

1. go check the video containing the messages of the leading climate scientists present at the conference to the leaders attending the G8 Summit at
http://www.unu.edu

2. check out Bill McKibben’s original website 350, the most important number at
http://www.350.org

Posted by Klara at 15:58:06 | Permalink | Comments (3)