101st Session Agenda item 9
EB101.R8 24 January 1998
Health promotion The Executive Board, Having considered the report of the Director-General on health promotion, RECOMMENDS to the Fifty-first World Health Assembly the adoption of the following resolution: The Fifty-first World Health Assembly, Recalling resolution WHA42.44 on health promotion, public information and education for health and the outcome of the four international conferences on health promotion (Ottawa, 1986; Adelaide, Australia, 1988; Sundsvall, Sweden, 1991; Jakarta, 1997); Recognizing that the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion has been a worldwide source of guidance and inspiration for health promotion development through its five essential strategies to build healthy public policy, create supportive environments, strengthen community action, develop personal skills, and reorient health services; Mindful that there is now clear evidence that: (1) comprehensive approaches that use combinations of the five strategies are the most effective; (2) certain settings offer practical opportunities for the implementation of comprehensive strategies, such as cities, islands, local communities, markets, schools, workplaces, and health facilities; (3) people have to be at the centre of health promotion action and decision-making processes if they are to be effective; (4) access to education and information is essential in achieving effective participation and the “empowerment” of people and communities; (5) health promotion is a “key investment” and an essential element of health development; Mindful of the new challenges and determinants of health and that new forms of action are needed to free the potential for health promotion in many sectors of society, among local communities, and within families, using an approach based on sound evidence where feasible; Appreciating that there is a clear need to break through traditional boundaries within government sectors, between governmental and nongovernmental organizations, and between the public and private sectors; Confirming the priorities set out in the Jakarta Declaration for Health Promotion in the Twenty-first Century,
EB101.R8
1.
URGES all Member States: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) to promote social responsibility for health; to increase investments for health development; to consolidate and expand “partnerships for health”; to increase community capacity and “empower” the individual in matters of health; to secure an infrastructure for health promotion;
2. CALLS ON organizations of the United Nations system, intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations and foundations, donors and the international community as a whole: (a) (b) 3. to mobilize Member States and assist them to implement these strategies; to form global health promotion networks;
CALLS ON the Director-General: (a) to enhance the Organization’s capacity with that of the Member States to foster the development of health promoting cities, islands, local communities, markets, schools, workplaces, and health facilities; (b) to implement strategies for health promotion throughout the life span with particular attention to the vulnerable groups;
4.
REQUESTS the Director-General: (a) to take the lead in establishing an alliance for global health promotion and in enabling Member States to implement the Jakarta Declaration; (b) to support the development of health promotion within the Organization.
Twelfth meeting, 24 January 1998 EB101/SR/12
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