The One Europe for Global Health civil society coalition aims to improve and integrate Global Health and One Health priorities into European policies, strategies and actions by engaging European civil society and convening actors from all sectors.
OEGH PURPOSE
The purposes of OEGH include, among others,
- to speak in one voice to policy makers and civil society in Europe and worldwide
- to provide for an open and constructive dialogue between academia, civil society organizations, policy makers, and other important stakeholders,
- to provide concrete, tangible proposals for understanding, elaborating and implementing One Health concepts in a truly global context,
- to fill knowledge gaps and contribute to an evidence base for new policies and cross-sectoral governance for health,
- to give recommendations to this purpose in form of the OEGH Declaration and its continuous line of enhancements and further developments being released as amendment documents in regularity connected to the specific biannually rotating Presidencies of the Council of the European Union,
- and thus, to actively contribute building and shaping a stronger platform for health, in the EU and beyond.
The One Europe for Global Health civil society coalition (OEGH), established in February 2022, bundles the voices, skills, competencies and expertise from a diversity of professional organizations and citizens across Europe and around the world being actively engaged in global and public health.
OEGH acknowledges, supports and relates its work in particular to upholding the efforts of the United Nations to preserve our planet Earth and make possible a healthy life for all through the attainment of the comprehensive SDGs, with a special focus on SGD 3 “Good Health and Well-being” and SDG 17 “Partnerships for the Goals”. In its activities, OEGH is strongly aligning with the EU global health agenda.
OEGH has therefore initiated a process to trigger consequent civil society follow-up under convergence, coherence and continuity, and to further promote and intensify the participation and contributions of non-state actors. In this context, OEGH aims to working closely together on long term with the “Team Europe” and beyond towards the operationalization of the EU Global Health Strategy.
To ensure continuity, coherence and consistency through subsequent Presidencies of the Concilium – from France to Czech Republic, Sweden, Spain, Belgium, Hungary etc. – OEGH organizes biannual meetings in the respective countries, closely connected to each particular EU Presidency.
This initiative came to life on February 8th, 2022, through the commitment of several One Sustainable Health Forum members who mobilized in Lyon, at the occasion of the European Ministers of Health and Foreign Affairs meeting, during the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
The resulting Consolidated Lyon Declaration for a European Health Union urges European stakeholders in Global Health to make a long-term commitment now for future generations; act locally while thinking globally; come together in equity and solidarity; limit silos with more intersectoral cooperation and commit to good governance for a European Health Union.
After the first event organized in Lyon on February 8th, 2022, under the One Sustainable Health for All Foundation, the One Europe for Global Health Declaration was presented on February 10th in Grenoble (France) to the 27 European health ministers.