PHA-Exchange> Update on Asian Social Forum Jan 2-7

[Aviva]

from:  sochara at vsnl.net.in

Dear All,

Greetings from Jana Swasthya Abhiyan (PHM India) and Asian Social Forum!

Let me first apologise for not being active on this circle -- largely as a
result of our preoccupation with the Asian Social forum.

I think it would be useful for this circle to also know a bit about the
Asian Social Forum that is being organised in Hyderabad, India between
January 2-7, 2003. The Asian Social Forum is part of the WSF process and is
an attempt by the WSF process to reach out directly to different parts of
the World. You would have already heard of the tremendous response to the
European Social Forum in Florence, held last month. The PHM WSF circle, I
would suggest, should attempt to link up with these Regional Forums and not
limit its engagement to the WSF in Porto allegre as the former are now seen
as integral components of the WSF process.

We are expecting about 10-15,000 delegates from across Asia to participate
in the forum. In addition to eight large Conferences (4-5,000 people each)
there are already 300 other events (seminars and workshops) registered for
the forum. For those who are interested details are available at:
www.wsfindia.org.

The Social sector Conference will include a major focus on Health and is
scheduled for the 3rd of January.

The Jana Swasthya Abhiyan (PHM India) is co-ordinating the events on Health
that will take place at the Forum:

Seminars:

Privatisation of Resources-Impact on Livestock Rearers
Child Labour Whos Responsibility
Right to Health Care: Moving from idea to reality II(Operational and
Financial Mechanisms, Campaign Strategy)
Right to Health Care: Moving from idea to reality I(Constitutional and Legal
Framework)
Environment and Health: A Peoples Campaign
Politics of Population
Globalisation and Dalit Women Health Status
Health and Education: Tribals group disccussion

Workshops:

Alma Ata and Primary Health Care - The Primary Health Care- The Asian
Experience
Taking the Peoples Health Movement Forward
Towards Action for a Tobacco Free world
Women's Access to Health: Proposal for a campaign(a stratergy building
workshop)
Health Issues in Adivasi Areas and Globalisation
Pharmaceutical policy
Disasters, wars, conflicts and globalisation: Challenges for communities

The proposed programme for the "International Forum for the Advocacy of
Peoples' Health" sounds exciting. Jana Swasthya Abhiyan (PHM India) is
committed to participating in the programme to reflect the experience of the
PHM in India as well as that of the asian social forum. We are still,
however, working out details regarding availability of resources that would
enable some people to participate from India. May I, meanwhile, request that
the participation of representatives from PHM-India/Asian Social Forum be
factored in when the programme is being fleshed out with concrete details,
speakers, panelists, etc.

With warm regards to all,

Dr.Amit Sen Gupta
co-convenor Jana Swasthya Abhiyan (PHM-India)/
and for WSF India Secretariat