Global health and foreign policy: an inclusive
approach to strengthening health systems
A/RES/74/20
Recalling the Rio Political Declaration on Social Determinants of Health,
adopted at the 2011 World Conference on Social Determinants of Health, which
reaffirmed that health inequities within and between countries are politically, socially
and economically unacceptable, as well as unfair and largely avoidable, and noting
that many of the underlying determinants of health and risk factors of communicable
and non-communicable diseases are associated with social, economic, environmental
and behavioural conditions,
Recognizing the need to tackle health inequities and inequalities within and
among countries through political commitment, policies and international
cooperation, including those that address social, economic and environmental
determinants of health,
Recognizing also the fundamental importance of equity, social justice and social
protection mechanisms as well as the elimination of the root causes of discrimination
and stigma in health-care settings to ensure universal and equitable access to quality
health services without financial hardship for all people, particularly for those who
are vulnerable or in vulnerable situations,
Reaffirming the commitment to ensure universal access to sexual and
reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the
Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and
Development 10 and the Beijing Platform for Action 11 and the outcome documents of
their review conferences,
Reaffirming also the importance of national ownership and the primary
responsibility of Member States to determine and promote their own path towards
achieving universal health coverage, including through community outreach and
private sector engagement, and with the support of the international community,
Recognizing that universal health coverage implies that all people have access,
without discrimination, to nationally determined sets of the needed promotive,
preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative essential health services, and
essential, safe, affordable, effective and quality medicines and vaccines, while
ensuring that the use of these services does not expose the users to financial hardship,
with a special emphasis on the poor, vulnerable and marginalized segments of the
population,
Noting that “health in all policies” refers to taking the health implications of
decisions systemically into account in public policies across sectors, seeking
synergies and avoiding harmful health impacts, in order to improve population health
and health equity through assessing the consequences of public policies on the
determinants of health and well-being and on health systems,
Recognizing that good health requires a universal, inclusive, equitable,
effective, responsive and accessible quality health system and that i t is also dependent
on the involvement of and dialogue with other sectors and actors, as their performance
may have significant health impacts, and collaboration in coordinated and
intersectoral policy actions in an effective way,
Recognizing also that the promotion of people’s engagement, particularly of
women and girls, families and communities, and inclusiveness is fundamental for the
effective implementation of health policies, strategies and plans, especially in the
context of health emergencies preparedness and response,
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11
19-21394
Report of the International Conference on Population and Development, Cairo, 5–13 September
1994 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.95.XIII.18), chap. I, resolution 1, annex.
Report of the Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, 4–15 September 1995 (United
Nations publication, Sales No. E.96.IV.13), chap. I, resolution 1, annex II.
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