PHM-Exch> PHM activities in Sri Lanka, August 2010

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Bridget Lloyd globalsecretariat at phmovement.org

*PHM activities in Sri Lanka, August 2010*

The People's Health Movement (PHM) met in Sri Lanka in August 2010, where we
co-hosted an International People's Health University with Sarvodaya, from 8
to 16 August 2010, in Moratuwa. The course was attended by 56 health
activists. On the 16th August, a meeting was held with Sri Lankan civil
society. The Steering Council of the People's Health Movement met from the
16th - 19th August. Summarised below are the substantive discussions and the
major decisions taken at the meeting:

*Right to Health campaign (RTHC):*

Report of the RTH commission, established in Havana in November 2009, was
discussed. The RTH commission has a 2 phase process: self-assessment
followed by interviews for more in depth assessment; the 2nd phase is now
underway. 16 countries have active campaigns on RTHC. While in many
countries the private sector is the major provider of health care, it was
underlined that the PHM should continue to focus on developing public sector
services and hold governments accountable. The SC also agreed on the need to
include a gender perspective in the campaign and to include a a focus on
social determinants of health.

Given that the PHM had undertaken the RTHC as a way of building the movement
across the globe, it was emphasised that this needs to remain a key concern.
The SC also was in agreement that small grants, provided to initiate the
campaign, should not become a medium of dependency and convert the
initiative to a project, rather than a movement.

*Key decisions and actions:*

   Increased funds to be spent on grassroots and movement building. Explore
   the Africa model with part time regional co-ordinators strengthening
   movement building


   Communication to be improved


   RTHC Commission will make a proposal for the next stage of the campaign
   to contribute to movement building. The final report to be completed by end
   of October.

*PHM Governance:*

A proposal on restructuring the Governance structure of the PHM was
discussed. The proposal seeks to ensure improved communication and
representation, and put in place a criteria based system of periodic renewal
of the PHM's Governance structure. The proposal was adopted and subcommittee
constituted to take forward the work of reconstituting PHM's governance
structure before the PHA3.

*Gender and PHM*

A paper, examining PHM's work on Gender was discussed. The importance of
using a gender lens to formulate and evaluate PHM's programmes was
emphasised in the discussions.


*Decision:*

   Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR) would lead a
   thematic group on gender, which will work on integrating gender into PHM's
   activities and programmes.


*PHA 3*
A discussion document on organising the next Peoples Health assembly (PHA 3)
in Cape Town was discussed. The Steering Committee felt that the Assembly
has played an important role in building the movement and in building
solidarity, and endorsed the need to organise the Third Assembly as a global
gathering of activists. It was underlined that the global assembly should be
preceded by national and regional activities and assemblies. The pre
assembly activities should be driven by the regional coordinators working
with the secretariat and volunteers from the SC.


*Key issues, decisions and actions:*

   PHA3 to be July 2011, Nov 2011 or July 2012. Decision to be taken mid
   October, 2010, based on the funding situation


   Approximate number of delegates per region (total and supported):


   *Region**Supported**Total*Africa300750Asia150250Latin America50100Middle
   East5075Europe1050Australia, NZ, Pacific Islands525N.America530Total570
   1280



   Should work towards a representative assembly;


   The five day assembly would be followed by a 3-day steering committee
   meeting. We can Explore if the 1st day of the SC can be open for active
   delegates.


   Resource committee, programme committee, mobilisation committee and
   logistics committees established. The press and publicity committee will be
   co-opted


*IPHU*
An IPHU report was distributed and discussed: about 700 people have
participated in the IPHUs. A novel innovation that has been introduced in
recent IPHUs is the association of former IPHU participants as
facilitators.

*Key issues, decisions and actions:*

   IPHU has got too big for volunteer to run - need to explore other options


   Explore trainer of trainers so others can begin assisting;


   Explore special IPHU e.g. gender, RTH and also one for country
   coordinators/ movement building


   Explore possibility of internships for IPHU alumni;


   Possible topics to be explored - law and health; access to medicines

*GHW*

The Global Health Watch 3 will have a length of about 250,000 words (360 pp
or so). It is anticipated that it will be ready for publication by mid-2011,
with Zed Books as the publisher. Primers are being developed for GHW2 and 3
- much of the primer material will be available in PDF format for down load
and printing locally.

*Key issues, decisions and actions:*

   Guidelines for testimonies and case studies to be circulated again. Case
   studies and other material not used will go on the website (
   www.ghwatch.org).

*Budget Tracking*

Considered part of the GHW process, the proposed work plan involves the
launching of budget tracking activities in select countries with PHM
circles, aimed at promoting advocacy on the issue of health budgets and with
a view to building capability in PHM circles to track budgets. The
activities are planned between now and Dec 2011.

Objectives of the initiative: (i) build capacity to look at health care
financing data at country level (ii) analyse the situation; (iii)
disseminate analysis for advocacy (iv) a small team in the country who
continue this as an activity.

*Decisions and actions:*

   A call for Expression of Interest will be developed including principles
   and clear criteria and sent to all mature circles. Need to ensure it builds
   capacity at the grass roots.

*Financial Report*
A financial report was presented and discussed. The SC also discussed a
financial control policy that deals with general principles, policies and
practice, and how it shall be managed across the 3 secretariats.

*Actions and decisions:*

   Fundraising for PHA3 should be a priority;


   Move to greater expenditure on grassroot activities. Explore the
   possibility of funding part time regional co-ordinators to assist with IPHU
   follow up, RTHC and supporting development of country circles.


   SC approved financial control policy subject to evolution and approved
   that the present Co-ordinating Committee shall act as the finance group for
   the SC.

*Global Health Governance (GHG)*

A report was presented and discussed. It was underlined that GHG should be
looked at from principles of transparency & accountability. At the World
Health Assembly (WHA) civil society groups focus on specific issues, but
there is a gap in the area of public health. PHM's proposed work on GHG is
also designed at making more strategic use of PHM's participation at the
WHA. The SC felt that while taking the proposal forward there is a need to
address the issue of financial and human resources required for the project,
and the capacity of the global secretariat. Therefore it was agreed to start
'small and slow' and explore using IPHU alumni as the core people doing this
work.


*Actions, Agreements, Decisions, etc:*

   This is an important area of work and issues addressed at the WHA are of
   importance to groups working at the grassroots.


   TWN and South Centre to consider taking lead in the GHG programme, with
   PHM providing access to wider body of people


*World Social Forum:*

WSF reported on and discussed: Next WSF in Dakar, Senegal, in Feb. 6-11th 2011.
It is an occasion, as in the past, for us to build links with other
organisations and movements.

   Agree we explore holding an IPHU linked to the WSF.


   Also plan for organising activities within the WSF



*Communication*

Evaluation of web and communication report was presented and discussed:

Possible communication projects: Identify regional communications
coordinators; global coordinator's newsletter; PHM News; PHM Focus
(reinventing newsbrief); thematic circles and blogs; greater use of
electronic communication; podcasting audio files for broadcast on radio.


*Key issues, decisions and actions:*

   Nominate people within countries and regions to support communication;
   assist in updating country webpages, etc.


   Global coordinator's newsletter - highlight news from secretariat and
   coco meetings


   PHM Focus (reinventing newsbrief): PHM and country news. Electronic but
   importance of hard copies stressed for events and countries with poor
   internet access.


   Need to explore ways to make info more accessible to those without
   internet. Explore using cell technology and twitter


   Propose that next SC should have a day to train members on computer
   literacy


   PHM Exchange - not to be used as a blog or posting from other listserves.


   Community radio - tap into expertise in Central America.

*PHM Evaluation*

Paper distributed and discussed: It was discussed that the evaluation would
include interviewing people from our periphery; other networks; people
inside WHO, key informants outside PHM; including from some CBOs.

*Key issues, decisions and actions:*

   Team nominated to work with the evaluation team;


   Should include regional contacts; should be a purposive sample and should
   include those who are critical as well as those who are supportive;
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