PHM-Exch> PHM USA newsletter (Sept. 2011)

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Sarah Shannon <sarahs at hesperian.org>


 *PHM US newsletter: September 20, 2011*

Contents:

1. First PHM US National In-person Meeting a Success

2. Save the date: Third People’s Health Assembly, July 2012, Cape Town,
South Africa

3. Next US IPHU: Petro Metro (Houston/Galveston area), spring 2012

4. PHM US website updated

5. Caring Across Generations conference

6. Advancing the Right to Health on a Sick Planet: Security, Militarism and
a Changing Climate

7. PHM related publications

* *

*First PHM US National In-person Meeting a Success*

By Laura Turiano

28 People’s Health Movement activists participated in the 1st PHM US
National Meeting held July 28th and 29th in Los Angeles. We discussed what
PHM is and what it means to endorse the *People’s Charter for Health* and to
be a part of the movement. Drawing upon the results of the membership survey
conducted before the meeting, and attendees’ current political work, we
developed four issue areas in which PHM US will focus its domestic movement
building activities.

 Within the issue areas identified at the meeting, the overall strategy of
PHM US is not to do the work that existing organizations are already doing,
but to share the analysis of the PHM to support activists to use health
arguments and human rights strategies effectively, to link organizations
across issues, and to take advantage of international solidarity
relationships. Because the knowledge and experience underpinning the *
Charter* integrates various fields including public health, political
economy, and human rights, most new PHM activists need some training to
fully utilize the framework. This activist training is provided in PHM
through International People’s Health University short courses, and two are
planned in the next two years.

Over the next 2-3 years PHM US will focus our outreach to the following
issue communities. If you would like to participate in workgroups, use the
email addresses provided to contact them.

Environmental Justice: EJ activists and IPHU New York participants from
Houston and Galveston will organize a “PetroMetro,” IPHU with an EJ theme in
spring 2012. Among the goals of the IPHU are to strengthen EJ communities by
making the connection to health, and incorporating it into advocacy efforts.
Contact: *lexibambas-at-hotmail.com
*
Health systems and US Health Care reform: “Health for All” doesn’t just mean
getting insurance companies out of medicine in the US, although that is a
necessary step. This work group will be reaching out to key organizations
and individuals working on health care reform and related issues to discuss
how using a health systems and human rights approach can broaden the
movement for real reform.  Contact: *jopuvvula-at-hotmail.com
*
Militarism: The US military impacts health in the US and globally through
multiple mechanisms. Work group members will be sharing the PHM framework
with the organizations they are already working with on various related
issues, including anti-war, the military budget, nuclear weapons and energy,
environmental impacts and military bases, to support them in using health
analyses against militarism, to help build international solidarity
networks, and to bring together groups working on the myriad aspects of this
topic. Contact: phm-at-hesperian.org

Economy/worker health and safety: A small group within PHM will identify key
groups in the areas of domestic workers rights, living wage, worker safety,
poverty, race and inequality, to support them to include health impacts in
their analyses and campaigns. Contact: *dorothy-at-hesperian.org
*
There are a few other issue areas not addressed at the meeting that we know
are important to PHM USA members.  These include trade and health, food
sovereignty, and essential medicines. The coordination group will be
reaching out to people who were unable to attend the meeting who we think
can take these areas forward.

Other discussion at the meeting included launching the *Global Health Watch
3,* mobilization towards the 3rd People’s Health Assembly, and how we should
organize with PHM global to address the US power and its effects on health
worldwide.

******
Third People’s Health Assembly, July 2012, **Cape Town, South Africa**
*The People’s Health Assembly is a global event bringing together health
activists from across the world to share experiences, analyze the global
health situation, and develop civil society responses that promote Health
for All. It is an opportunity to network, reassess, redirect and re-inspire
ourselves. Please note that there will be criteria for attendance for the
PHA3 and delegation limits for the US and Europe.
Join the PHA3 Facebook group <
https://www.facebook.com/groups/PeoplesCharter?ap=1#%21/groups/PHA3.global?ap=1
>

*****


*PHM US website updated*

Following the national planning meeting in August, we updated the PHM US
website (http://www.phmovement.org/en/usa) to feature the newly created
interest groups, on topics such as Environmental Justice and Health Systems
Reform. As these interest groups gain momentum, each one will have its own
sub-page where coordinators can post resources and calls to action. In the
meantime, if you have any news, announcements, or information you’d like to
see on the site, please email dorothy-at-hesperian.org<dorothy at hesperian.org>
.



*****

*Caring Across Generations conference*

By Dorothy Tegeler

On August 20, members of PHM US joined over 500 domestic workers, seniors,
people with disabilities, family members, political leaders, and activists
at Mission High School in San Francisco for the regional launch (video link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=EInOUjlCdIQ) of the
Caring Across Generations Campaign. Caring Across Generations (
http://caringacrossgenerations.org) aims to transform the system of
long-term care in the US, so that it meets the needs of both care recipients
and care givers.
******  *

*Report from the Doctors for Global Health General Assembly*

by Linda Sharp (edited for space by Todd Jailer)

The 16th Annual Doctors for Global Health General Assembly was held July 29
th to 31st, 2011 in Los Angeles, CA.  Over 130 participants from all over
the United States, as well as representatives from DGH partner communities
in Mexico and El Salvador spent the weekend exploring various parts of the
conference’s theme “Community Action for Health and Social Justice: Health
Begins Where we Work, Live and Play.”  For more information, and for details
of each part of the conference, visit
http://www.dghonline.org/category/story-type/blog-entry.



Currently in Los Angeles, DGH-LA is working with groups in the US and El
Salvador to support and give voice to community organizers in Cabañas, El
Salvador, in their struggle against the Pacific Rim Mining Company.
DGH-LA  is also working with undocumented students in LA and around the
country to support passage of the DREAM Act and to protest Secure
Communities and other policies that violate the human rights of migrant
communities. If you are interested in joining the DGH Human Rights and
Advocacy Committee, please send an email to inquiries at dghonline.org.
*****

*Advancing the Right to Health on a Sick Planet: Redefining Security & the
Role of Militarism in a Changing Climate
*By Maureen McCue (edited for space by Todd Jailer)



Long story, short: The September 9 – 11 Nebraska City, Iowa conference was a
great success! For an overview of the program, the resources,   faculty ,
please visit the web site:
<http://www.psriowa.org/msp/msp-home.html><http://www.psriowa.org/msp/msp-home.html>


We had about 50 participants from a 16-year-old to an academic couple in
their late 70s. Everyone shared and everyone learned from one another.  All
had ideas and experiences to share on the intersections of health and human
rights threats stemming from our rapidly changing climate, our degraded
environment and the role of militarism in exacerbating these deadly
processes.
  *****  *

*PHM related publications: *

*The current issue of Social Medicine*, Vol 6, No 1 2011 <
http://www.socialmedicine.info/index.php/socialmedicine/issue/view/54/showToc>
features an editorial by Hani Serag from the PHM Global Secretariat, *Issues
for consideration at the WHO Executive Board. *Abstract: WHO is moving to
create an additional governing structure “that will bring together Member
States, global health funds, development banks, partnerships,
nongovernmental organizations, civil society organizations, and the private
sector to address issues critical to global health.” The private sector
(which in practical terms means agribusiness, big pharma, and the interests
of the medical-industrial complex) already has vast influence over health
policy and it is entirely unclear why they need yet one more forum.

*After the Earthquake**, by Paul Farmer,* describes the incredible
suffering--and resilience--that he encountered in Haiti. Having worked in
the country for nearly thirty years, he skillfully explores the social
issues that made Haiti so vulnerable to the earthquake--the very issues that
make it an “unnatural disaster.”

*Bryan Parras,* environmental justice activist from Houston (AKA the
“Petro-Metro”) and IPHU NY alumnus is a regular contributor to *Bridge the
Gulf**,* a citizen journalism and new-media initiative designed to help Gulf
Coast communities convey their stories and their vision for a just, healthy
and sustainable future.  available at *
http://bridgethegulfproject.org/node/420*.

***end Sept. 20, 2011 PHM US newsletter***
From: Todd Jailer <todd at hesperian.org>
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