Skal NGO’er forske? Kan forskere samarbejde med NGO’er?

Netværket for Sundhed og UdviklingCenter for Sundhed og Samfund

Københavns Universitet

Paul BlochSteno Health Promotion Center

Steno Diabetes Center

26 September 2012

Engaging civil society organisations in research for health ...a Danish perspective

Research which will lead to the improvement of health

Health research which emphasises the relationship between health and social, cultural, economic, political,

legal, agricultural and environmental factors

...not just an academic issue

...not just a health sector concern

...not just a public sector responsibility

What is ...research for health?

What is research for health?

What good does it do to treat people’s illnesses …

Quote: Rene Loewenson, EQUINET, 2010

…and then send them back to the conditions that made them sick?

The goal of research for health is better health for all.

Reaching this goal is possible with the involvement of stakeholders in health that represent the rich spectrum of

sectors and disciplines … including civil society organisations.

What is research for health?

A stronger v

oice of CSO’s i

s needed

Copenhagen, 23-24 October 2008

An international response launched in Denmark

• Brazil: ANIS, Instituto de Bioética, Direitos Humanos e Gênero

• Denmark: DBL - Centre for Health Research and Development

• Gambia: CIAM - Public Health Research and Development Centre

• India: Centre for Public Health and Equity, SOCHARA

• India: Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)

• Kenya: International Centre for Reproductive Health (ICRHK)

• Kenya: Project Africa

• Pakistan: Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University

• Switzerland: Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED)

• Tunisia: L’Association Tunisienne de Promotion de la Recherche en Santé

• UK: Wellcome Trust

• USA: Research!America

Who participated in the workshop?

What came out of the workshop?

A call for civil society engagement in research for health

... suggesting roles and strategies for engaging CSO’s in research for health

... an input to the Global Ministerial Forum on Research for Health

Global Ministerial Forum on Research for Health, Bamako, Mali, November 2008

Presenting the CSO call in Bamako

The Bamako Call to Action on Research for Health

”The nature of research and innovation for health improvement, espacially in the context of the United Nations Millenium Development Goals, is not sufficiently inter-disciplinary and inter-sectoral; there is a need to mobilize all relevant sectors (public, private, civil society) to work together in effective and equitable partnerships to find needed solutions” (Item 5)

”We call to action by all partners and stakeholders to ensure civil society and community participation in the entire research process, from priority setting to implementation and evaluation of policies, programmes, and interventuions; and to support civil society in advocacy to key decision-makers, including politicians, for increased investment in and commitment toresearch for health” (Item 15)

What was the outcome of the conference?

The Communiqué

”Research for health requires engagement by all stakeholders including researchers, policy-makers, civil society, community representatives and the private sector. Civil society organizations (CSOs) can and must play a stronger role in decisions on research for health, including involvement in priority setting, peer-review, research conduct and the evaluation of outcomes for health action, while policy-makers need to encourage and respect such participation. Development partners must also help build the capacity of CSOs to conduct their own research in order to fill gaps through community-based participatory research and other inclusive approaches that prioritize health equity as their outcome” (Item 15)

What was the outcome of the conference?

In need of a Danish network?

Overall objective

To strengthen the engagement of Danish civil society organizations in knowledge-based health development in low-income countries

Specific objectives

• To promote communication and advocacy for increased CSO engagement in research for health and knowledge-based decision-making

• To promote public recognition of the importance of knowledge in decision-making processes in health development

• To promote the translation of public health needs and demands into knowledge-based health policies and strategies

• To promote the strengthening of the collaboration between academia and CSOs on research for health and knowledge management

In need of a Danish network?

Why civil society in research for health?

1. Can promote and advocate for knowledge-based health development to national authorities

2. Can drive, participate in and conduct research that embraces health in its broadest sense, including the determinants of health and health-related inequities

3. Can hold politicians, researchers and donors accountable for the commitments they make towards research for health

4. Can increase the skills and capacity of local actors, enabling them to respond effectively to national and international priorities and demands

5. Can contribute to national health research agenda setting and prioritization with emphasis on promoting social justice

6. Can provide missing viewpoints and cultural perspectives to the identification, planning and implementation of research activities

7. Can translate research for health into action for health

8. Can disseminate research findings to a wide audience of stakeholders including the public

Benefits to the research community?

• CSOs have easier access to local populations and communties

• CSOs have a better understanding of the socio-cultural context in local communities

• CSOs have a better understanding of local needs, priorities and demands

• CSOs have a better understanding of politicial agendas in South

Collaboration will increased the relevance of research

Assessment of interests

Experiences and interests in research for health among Danish NGO’s working with health in low and middle income countries

Any interest among Danish NGO’s?

Any interest among Danish NGO’s?

• It is not straightforward to establish a picture of the NGOs involved in health since no mechanism for tracing NGOs in this sector exists in Denmark

• 107 Danish NGO’s were asked by questionnaire if they are engaged in health in low and middle income countries

• 35 NGO’s responded

• 27 confirmed their engagement in health

• There is huge diversity in size and focus among the NGO’s that are engaged in health

• Most common focus areas: HIV/AIDS, SRHR, primary prevention and health care

Any interest among Danish NGO’s?

NGO’s expressing an interest in participating in deliberations regarding a possible future Danish platform for strengthening civil society engagement in research for health:

ADRA Denmark FontanaArt of Living HjerteforeningenBørnefonden Medicins Sans FrontieresCross Cultures PUGADDanske Handicap Organisationer Save the Children DanChurchAid Sex & SamfundDanish Red Cross

Danida guidance note on health and development ... including research for health

What is Danida’s perspective?

Danida’s guidance note on research for health

1. Address the priority health problems of poor people2. Invest in policy processes3. Building sustainable research systems4. Invest in capacity development5. Ensure good governance in research for health

Danida’s guidance note on research for health

Address the priority health problems of poor people

Danida supports:1. Basic research in priority public health problems.2. Operational research for health with a focus on the

underlying causes of ill health and inequity, e.g. social and environmental determinants of health as well as research into interventions, health systems and health policies.

The primary research focus is on poverty reduction and equity.

Danida’s guidance note on research for health

Invest in policy processes

Danida contributes to:1. The promotion of a more coordinated and aligned global

support to institutions working in research for health.2. The application of the guidelines of the Paris Declaration

on aid effectiveness in research for health.3. The promotion of investments in research for health by

Global Health Partnerships through NHRS.

Denmark is involved in global agenda setting on research for health both through bilateral, multilateral and NGO support.

Danida’s guidance note on research for health

Building sustainable research systems

Danida supports:1. Capacity development of individuals, organisations,

institutions and systems in the Danida partner countries with emphasis on linkages to and dialogue with Danish institutions.

2. Development of national health research systems, institutions and capacities.

3. Bridging the know-do gap aiming at bringing research results into practice.

Danida’s guidance note on research for health

Invest in capacity development

Danida supports:1. Investments in knowledge management through

stimulating the generation, access to, translation, dissemination, sharing and usage of knowledge.

Ensuring good communication between researchers, policy makers and civil society, both in partner countries and in Denmark is important

Danida’s guidance note on research for health

Ensure good governance in research for health

Danida contributes to:1. Promoting good governance, good practice and public

participation in research for health.2. Promoting gender equality and sexual and reproductive

health and rights in research for health.

Good governance in research for health promotes easy access to research information, sets norms and standards and promotes accountable structures and systems. It includes civil society in research agenda setting, implementation, data dissemination and utilisation

and monitoring and evaluation.