Is aid stabilizing or overcoming an unfair global trade regime? Is it distorting or supporting national health systems? Is civil society represented and heard in global processes? How can we move from aid to global solidarity beyond aid? These were some of the tough questions that civil society from various countries discussed last October and November as part of the ‘Kampala Initiative’. Wemos proudly endorses an important milestone of this initiative, the Kampala Declaration, released on January 27th
Wemos contributed to the drafting of the declaration and proudly endorsed it institutionally the day of its release, as it aligns with our mission to improve public health worldwide and to hold the Dutch government, the EU and multilateral organisations accountable for their responsibility to respect, protect and fulfil the right to health.
Challenging realities of “aid”
The Kampala initiative started with a series of four webinars, open to the public, each of them focusing on a challenging aspect of aid and on a specific example or case that requires attention from civil society. The discussion continued face-to-face in an intensive two-day civil society workshop in Kampala. Wemos has been part of the Kampala Initiative from the very beginning, contributing with our knowledge and experience in health financing and global health governance. We participated in all the webinars, and presented our critical view and our story on the Global Financing Facility in a webinar and at the civil society workshop in Kampala. Also, we became a core team member of the “Watch the GAP” task group which will be working on a critical civil society perspective on the implementation of the Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Well-being for All.
An important milestone, the new ‘Kampala Declaration on cooperation and solidarity for health equity within and beyond aid’, released on January 27th 2020, is one of the outcomes of the initiative so far.
“The aid space is dominated by powerful interests, while the voices of those most affected by health inequity are regularly tokenised or excluded from the conversation.”
Wemos believes in global justice and advocates access to health for everyone, everywhere. By signing the Kampala Declaration, we confirm our commitment to advancing cooperation and solidarity within and beyond aid.
Please feel free to read and sign the Kampala Declaration. Join us!
