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Another World is Possible!
Another Asia is Possible!
Let's Build It !

Building Another World
World Social Forum - India invites you to join the process of conceiving and
constructing Asian alternatives to globalization

People's movements across the world are working to identify and demonstrate
that the  path to sustainable development and social and economic justice
does not lie in neo-liberal globalisation but in alternative models for
people-centred and self-reliant progress.

In 2001 and 2002, the World Social Forum process has explored and proposed
such alternatives, and questioned the rules of governance and investment
being set by the World Economic Forum. The people's argument is that Another
World IS Possible. It is an argument based on both vision and reality.

The World Social Forum developed as a response of the growing international
movement questioning the neo-liberal economic policies being pursued in most
countries and capitalist-led globalisation.
As the clock moves towards the 3rd international gathering of the 2003 World
Social Forum at Porto Alegre in Brazil, WSF-India invites you to the city of
Hyderabad, to take leadership in dialogue, discourse and design to formulate
an Asian blueprint for building another world - a plural, just, responsible
and shared world which accords equal dignity and rights to all its people.
The Asia Social Forum 2003 will focus not only on the impact but also the
processes of neo-liberal globalisation that is creating a small global,
'over-class' and a vast, increasingly marginalised and vulnerable
under-class in every country. Every part of the process seeks to draw out
people's perceptions regarding the impact of neo-liberal economic policies
and their attendant divisiveness on their daily lives. Local forms and
idioms will inform the language of  resistance and the formulation of
alternatives.

2-7th January 2003, Hyderabad

An evolving plan of the Jana Swasthya Abhiyan / People's Health Movement
process and related events at ASF.

The People's Health Movement including Jana Swasthya Abhiyan, India, is a
process of 'conceiving and constructing' alternatives to globalisation and
its 'ill effects on health' so we are an integral part of the evolving
movements around the world, in Asia and in India. Our enthusiastic and
collective presence in ASF Hyderabad is an imperative!

Overall Objectives

1. To meet in Hyderabad as JSA, 32 months after we all launched Jana
Swasthya Sabha in Hyderabad on 7th April 2000 and 24 months after JSS became
Jana Swasthya Abhiyan in Kolkata / Dhaka, to (a) take stock, (b) share
initiatives and campaigns and (c) plan future strategies.

2. To enhance collaboration with PHM Asian partners so that Asian PHM
solidarity and collectivity is enhanced.

3. To discuss certain newer emerging concerns and to link them into PHM /
JSA mobilization process.

These include :

a. Right to Health
b. Environment and Health
c. Right to Food
d. Access to Drugs and Patent Law
e. Externally funded Health Sector Reform programmes - Social Audit
f. Globalisation and women access to health.
g. Right to water / privatization of water
h. War, conflict and Natural Disasters and Health
i. Tobacco and Health

4. To utilize the strategic intersectoral opportunity of ASF to link  health
concerns on the agenda of other movements and in turn recognise the
intersectorality of health and its deep socio-economic-political-cultural
determinants.  All the themes of WSF India have a health dimension
a. Peace and Security;
b. Debt development and trade;
c. Democracy and exclusion;
d. Social infrastructure;
e. Ecology and culture;
f. Alternative development and people's movement.
The closest link will be sessions on social infrastructure.

5. To initiate the celebration / reflection of 25th Anniversary of Alma Ata
Declaration and its links with the People's Health  Charter and the
movement - in India and Asian region by evolving a Hyderabad declaration as
an expression of concern and collectivity.  This will re-endorse the Alma
Ata Declaration and its 2000 AD enlarged version the People's Health
Charter.

6. To enhance information  - perspective - enthusiasm - solidarity sharing
with JSA - PHM and boost the ongoing JSA/PHM morale, spirit and strategy.

Tentative Programme (As of 1st November, this will include)

1. Social Infrastructure (Conference - 1)

Focus     Will cover Education in the Era of globalization; Health in a
globalised world; food security under threat; Entitlements and "safety nets"
.

2. Right to Health Care - Moving from idea to reality (Seminar 1)

Focus will cover the content, constitutional, legal, operational and
financial aspects of the Right to Health Care.

3. Environment and Health (Seminar 2)

Focus Will cover testimonials and reports from 20 situations in India where
toxins / pollutants are affecting environment and health of local
communities and where local action and campaign have begun.  (It will be
preceded by a Green Peace 'jatha' which between 10th November 2002 and 3rd
January 2003 will link all these 'hotspots' as part of the 1000 Bhopal's
campaign.


4. Right to Food (Seminar - 3 )

5. Externally funded Health Sector Reform Programmes
A cross country Social Audit (Workshop -1)

Focus There are many states in India which have large externally funded
health sector reform programmes.  The experience of EAPs in Health will be
reviewed and subjected to a social audit.


6. Access to Drugs and Patent Laws (Workshop 2)

7. Building People's Action for Right to Health (Workshop 3 - Sharing
experiences)


Focus Report on experiences / campaigns from different states and PHM / JSA
constituents, learning from each others experiences.


8. Taking the PHM forward : A sharing and conceptual discussion (Workshop 4)

Focus Many participants from India and Asia have also been involved with
follow up action after PHM Dhaka and Kolkala.  Those who have been actively
involved as individuals, organizations, networks will be invited to share
their initiatives and make suggestions for follow up action and strategy.

9. Privatization of Water (Workshop 5)

Focus Issues of privatization of water supplies; Right to safe adequate,
potable water; issues of water quality and impacts on health.


10. War, Conflict and Disasters (Workshop 6)


Focus The People's Health Charter has a separate section on war, conflict
and disasters and their health implications. The focus will be on Gujarat,
Sri Lanka, Nepal, Palestine.

11. Women's Access to Health Care in a Globalising Economy (Workshop 7)

Focus WGNRR are in the process of developing an International working circle
on this theme and have welcomed all health activists and researchers
interested in the topic to participate in the workshop.


12. Tobacco and Health

  Focus               Will present a canvas of the entire range of
activities and effects related to Tobacco production; supply; distribution;
consumption; health effect etc and include an overview of Tobacco control
initiatives (at the global and local level). Discussions will be held on
working together at various levels for Tobacco control.

13. An Alma Ata Anniversary Reflection (Working Group)


Focus 2003 is the 25th Anniversary of Alma Ata Declaration which was
re-endorsed and strengthened by the People's Health Charter.  Depending on
the number of Asian country participation, this will be an Anniversary
Reflection focusing on 'where are we in Asia' in the context of both AAP /
PHM.  It will also be an occasion to strengthen the signature campaign.
'The million for Alma Ata' being launched soon.

14. Pesticide Action Network  (Public Hearing)

A public hearing on Pesticides and Health is being planned by Pesticide
Action Network and Asian partners
Details are awaited.

For Further information on the Jana Swasthya Abhiyan related conference ,
seminars and workshops, write to :
sochara at vsnl.com