Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion
Encyclopedia
The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion is the name of an international agreement signed at the First International Conference on Health Promotion, organized by the World Health Organization
(WHO) and held in Ottawa
, Canada, in November 1986. It launched a series of actions among international organizations, national governments and local communities to achieve the goal of "Health For All
" by the year 2000 and beyond through better health promotion
.
, held in 1977, had highlighted the importance of promoting health
so that all the international citizens had an "economically productive" level of health by the year 2000. Further, a localised European taskforce developed a strategy for health promotion
in the WHO
Europe
an Region.
The basic strategies for health promotion were prioritized as:
Within countries:
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
(WHO) and held in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Canada, in November 1986. It launched a series of actions among international organizations, national governments and local communities to achieve the goal of "Health For All
Health For All
Health For All is a programming goal of the World Health Organization , which envisions securing the health and well being of people around the world that has been popularized since the 1970s...
" by the year 2000 and beyond through better health promotion
Health promotion
Health promotion has been defined by the World Health Organization's 2005 Bangkok Charter for Health Promotion in a Globalized World as "the process of enabling people to increase control over their health and its determinants, and thereby improve their health"...
.
Context
The thirtieth WHO World Health AssemblyWorld Health Assembly
The World Health Assembly is the forum through which the World Health Organization is governed by its 194 member states. It is the world's highest health policy setting body and is composed of health ministers from member states....
, held in 1977, had highlighted the importance of promoting health
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
so that all the international citizens had an "economically productive" level of health by the year 2000. Further, a localised European taskforce developed a strategy for health promotion
Health promotion
Health promotion has been defined by the World Health Organization's 2005 Bangkok Charter for Health Promotion in a Globalized World as "the process of enabling people to increase control over their health and its determinants, and thereby improve their health"...
in the WHO
Who
Who may refer to:* Who , an English-language pronoun* who , a Unix command* Who?, one of the Five Ws in journalism- Art and entertainment :* Who? , a 1958 novel by Algis Budrys...
Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an Region.
Action areas of the Ottawa Charter
Five action areas for health promotion were identified in the charter:- Building healthy public policyPublic policyPublic policy as government action is generally the principled guide to action taken by the administrative or executive branches of the state with regard to a class of issues in a manner consistent with law and institutional customs. In general, the foundation is the pertinent national and...
- Create supportive environments
- Strengthening community action
- Developing personal skills
- Re-orientating health careHealth careHealth care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
services toward prevention of illness and promotion of health
The basic strategies for health promotion were prioritized as:
- Advocate: Health is a resource for social and developmental means, thus the dimensions that affect these factors must be changed to encourage health.
- Enable: Health equityHealth equityHealth equity refers to the study of differences in the quality of health and health care across different populations....
must be reached where individuals must become empowered to control the determinants that affect their health, such that they are able to reach the highest attainable quality of life. - Mediate: Health promotion cannot be achieved by the health sector alone; rather its success will depend on the collaboration of all sectors of government (social, economic, etc.) as well as independent organizations (media, industry, etc.).
Developments after Ottawa
Internationally:- WHO: Jakarta DeclarationJakarta DeclarationThe Jakarta Declaration on Leading Health Promotion into the 21st Century is the name of an international agreement that was signed at the World Health Organization's 1997 Fourth International Conference on Health Promotion held in Jakarta...
in 1997 - WHO: Health for allHealth For AllHealth For All is a programming goal of the World Health Organization , which envisions securing the health and well being of people around the world that has been popularized since the 1970s...
targets in 1997 - WHO: Health 21Health 21Health 21 or Health21 is the name given to the World Health Organization European Region policy framework derived from the "health-for-all policy for the twenty-first century" passed by the World Health Assembly in 1998...
in 1999 - WHO: Bangkok CharterBangkok CharterThe Bangkok Charter for Health Promotion in a Globalized World is the name of an international agreement reached among participants of the 6th Global Conference on Health Promotion held in Bangkok, Thailand in August 2005, convened by the World Health Organization...
in 2005
Within countries:
- United Kingdom
- Our Healthier Nation
- National Plan
See also
- Health promotionHealth promotionHealth promotion has been defined by the World Health Organization's 2005 Bangkok Charter for Health Promotion in a Globalized World as "the process of enabling people to increase control over their health and its determinants, and thereby improve their health"...
- Health for allHealth For AllHealth For All is a programming goal of the World Health Organization , which envisions securing the health and well being of people around the world that has been popularized since the 1970s...
- Royal Society for the Promotion of HealthRoyal Society for the Promotion of HealthThe Royal Society for Public Health is an independent charity formed in October 2008 following the merger of the Royal Institute of Public Health and the Royal Society of Health -- two of the oldest professional bodies in the world....
, United Kingdom - Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport (Ontario), Canada
- Health for all
- Health policy
- Health departmentHealth departmentA health department or health ministry is a part of government which focuses on issues related to the general health of the citizenry. Subnational entities, such as states, counties and cities, often also operate a health department of their own...
s - Healthy cityHealthy cityHealthy city is a term used in public health and urban design to stress the impact of policy on human health. Its modern form derives from a World Health Organization initiative on Healthy Cities and Villages in 1986, but has a history dating back to the mid 19th century...
- Alliance for Healthy CitiesAlliance for Healthy CitiesThe Alliance for Healthy Cities is a cooperative international alliance aimed at protecting and enhancing the health and health care of city dwellers. It is composed of groups of cities, urban districts and other organizations from countries around the world in exchanging information to achieve...
- Alliance for Healthy Cities
- World Health OrganizationWorld Health OrganizationThe World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
Further reading
- Ewles L, Simnett I (2005). Promoting Health - a practical guide. Balliere Tindall: Edinburgh.
- WHO (1999). Health 21 - Health for all in the 21st Century. WHO Europe: Copenhagen.
- WHO (1999). Reducing health inequalities - proposals for health promotion and actions. WHO Europe: Copenhagen.