charter

Charter

ThefirstInternationalConferenceonHealthPromotion,meetinginOttawathis21stdayof

November1986,herebyprentsthisCHARTERforactiontoachieveHealthforAllbytheyear

2000andbeyond.

Thisconferencewasprimarilyarespontogrowingexpectationsforanewpublichealth

sionsfocudontheneedsinindustrializedcountries,but

tontheprogressmadethroughthe

DeclarationonPrimaryHealthCareatAlmaAta,theWorldHealthOrganization’sTargetsfor

HealthforAlldocument,andtherecentdebateattheWorldHealthAsmblyoninterctoral

actionforhealth.

HEALTHPROMOTION

Healthpromotionistheprocessofenablingpeopletoincreacontrolover,andtoimprove,

hastateofcompletephysical,mentalandsocialwell-being,anindividualor

groupmustbeabletoidentifyandtorealizeaspirations,tosatisfyneeds,andtochangeorcope

istherefore,enasaresourceforeverydaylife,nottheobjective

isapositiveconceptemphasizingsocialandpersonalresources,aswellas

ore,healthpromotionisnotjusttheresponsibilityofthehealthctor,

butgoesbeyondhealthylife-stylestowell-being.

PREREQUISITESFORHEALTH

Thefundamentalconditionsandresourcesforhealtharepeace,shelter,education,food,

income,astableeco-system,sustainableresources,ementin

healthrequiresacurefoundationinthebasicprerequisites.

ADVOCATE

Goodhealthisamajorresourceforsocial,economicandpersonaldevelopmentandimportant

cal,economic,socialcultural,environmental,behaviouraland

promotionactionaimsatmaking

theconditionsfavourablethroughadvocacyforhealth.

ENABLE

promotionactionaimsat

reducingdifferencesincurrenthealthstatusandensuringequalopportunitiesandresourcesto

cludesacurefoundationina

supportiveenvironment,accesstoinformation,lifeskillsandopportunitiesformakinghealthy

cannotachievetheirfullesthealthpotentialunlesstheyareabletotakecontrol

stapplyequallytowomenandmen.

MEDIATE

Theprerequi

importantly,healthpromotiondemandscoordinatedactionbyallconcerned:bygovernments,by

healthandothersocialandeconomicctors,bynon-governmentalandvoluntaryorganizations,

bylocalauthorities,inallwalksoflifeareinvolvedas

individuals,sionalandsocialgroupsandhealthpersonnelhave

amajorresponsibilitytomediatebetweendifferinginterestsinsocietyforthepursuitofhealth.

Healthpromotionstrategiesandprogrammesshouldbeadaptedtothelocalneedsand

possibilitiesofindividualcountriesandregionstotakeintoaccountdifferingsocial,culturaland

economicsystems.

HEALTHPROMOTIONACTIONMEANS:

BUILDHEALTHYPUBLICPOLICY

healthontheagendaofpolicymakersinall

ctorsandatalllevels,directingthemtobeawareofthehealthconquencesoftheirdecisions

andtoaccepttheirresponsibilitiesforhealth.

Healthpromotionpolicycombinesdiverbutcomplementaryapproachesincludinglegislation,

fiscalmeasures,ordinatedactionthatleadstohealth,

ctioncontributestoensuringsafer

andhealthiergoodsandrvices,healthierpublicrvices,andcleaner,moreenjoyable

environments.

Healthpromotionpolicyrequirestheidentificationofobstaclestotheadoptionofhealthypublic

policiesinnon-healthctors,mustbetomakethe

healthierchoicetheeasierchoiceforpolicymakersaswell.

CREATESUPPORTIVEENVIRONMENTS

inextricablelinksbetweenpeopleandtheirenvironmentconstitutesthebasisforasocio-

rallguidingprinciplefortheworld,nations,regionsand

communitiesalike,istheneedtoencouragereciprocalmaintenance–totakecareofeachother,

rvationofnaturalresourcesthroughout

theworldshouldbeemphasizedasaglobalresponsibility.

Changingpatternsoflife,dleisure

societyorganizesworkshouldhelpcreatea

promotiongenerateslivingandworkingconditionsthataresafe,

stimulating,satisfyingandenjoyable.

Systematicasssmentofthehealthimpactofarapidlychangingenvironment–particularlyin

areasoftechnology,work,energyproductionandurbanization–isntialandmustbe

tectionofthe

naturalandbuiltenvironmentsandtheconrvationofnaturalresourcesmustbeaddresdin

anyhealthpromotionstrategy.

STRENGTHENCOMMUNITYACTION

Healthpromotionworksthroughconcreteandeffectivecommunityactioninttingpriorities,

makingdecisions,

heartofthisprocessistheempowermentofcommunities,theirownershipandcontroloftheir

ownendeavoursanddestinies.

Communitydevelopmentdrawsonexistinghumanandmaterialresourcesinthecommunityto

enhancelf-helpandsocialsupport,andtodevelopflexiblesystemsforstrengtheningpublic

quiresfullandcontinuousaccessto

information,learningopportunitiesforhealth,aswellasfundingsupport.

DEVELOPPERSONALSKILLS

Healthpromotionsupportspersonalandsocialdevelopmentthroughprovidinginformation,

ing,itincreastheoptionsavailableto

peopletoexercimorecontrolovertheirownhealthandovertheirenvironments,andtomake

choicesconducivetohealth.

Enablingpeopletolearnthroughoutlife,topreparethemlvesforallofitsstagesandtocope

stobefacilitatedinschool,home,workand

isrequiredthrougheducational,professional,commercialand

voluntarybodies,andwithintheinstitutionsthemlves.

REORIENTHEALTHSERVICES

Theresponsibilityforhealthpromotioninhealthrvicesissharedamongindividuals,

communitygroups,healthprofessionals,st

worktogethertowardsahealthcaresystemwhichcontributestothepursuitofhealth.

Theroleofthehealthctormustmoveincreasinglyinahealthpromotiondirection,beyondits

rvicesneedtoembracean

ndateshouldsupport

theneedsofindividualandcommunitiesforahealthierlife,andopenchannelsbetweenthe

healthctorandbroadersocial,political,economicandphysicalenvironmentalcomponents.

Reorientinghealthrvicesalsorequiresstrongerattentiontohealthrearchaswellas

stleadtoachangeofattitudeand

organizationofhealthrvices,whichrefocusonthetotalneedsoftheindividualasawhole

person.

MOVINGINTOTHEFUTURE

Healthiscreatedandlivedbypeoplewithinthettingsoftheireverydaylife;wheretheylearn,

work,iscreatedbycaringforonelfandothers,bybeingabletotake

decisionsandhavecontroloverone’slifecircumstances,andbyensuringthatthesocietyone

livesincreatesconditionsthatallowtheattainmentofhealthbyallitsmembers.

Caring,holismandecologyareesntialissuesindevelopingstrategiesforhealthpromotion.

Therefore,thoinvolvedshouldtakeasaguidingprinciplethat,ineachphaofplanning,

implementationandevaluationofhealthpromotionactivities,womenandmenshouldbecome

equalpartners.

COMITMENTTOHEALTHPROMOTION

Theparticipantsinthisconferencepledge:

tomoveintothearenaofhealthypublicpolicy,andtoadvocateaclearpolitical

commitmenttohealthandequityinallctors;

tocounteractthepressurestowardsharmfulproducts,resourcedepletion,unhealthy

livingconditions,andenvironments,andbadnutrition;andtofocusattentiononpublic

healthissuessuchaspollution,occupationalhazards,housingandttlements;

torespondtothehealthgapwithinandbetweensocieties,andtotackletheinequitiesin

healthproducedbytherulesandpracticesofthesocieties

toacknowledgepeopleasthemainhealthresource;tosupportandenablethemtokeep

themlves,theirfamiliesandfriendshealthythroughfinancialandothermeans,andto

acceptthecommunityastheesntialvoiceinmattersofitshealth,livingconditionsand

well-being;

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CALLFORINTERNATIONALACTION

TheconferencecallsontheWorldHealthOrganizationandotherinternationalorganizationsto

advocatethepromotionofhealthinallappropriateforumsandtosupportcountriesinttingup

strategiesandprogrammesforhealthpromotion.

TheConferenceisfirmlyconvincedthatifpeopleinallwalksoflife,nongovernmentaland

voluntaryorganizations,governments,theWorldHealthOrganizationandallotherbodies

concernedjoinforcesinintroducingstrategiesforhealthpromotion,inlinewiththemoraland

socialvaluesthatformthebasisofthisCHARTER,HealthforAllbytheyear2000willbecomea

reality.

ThisCHARTERforactionwasdevelopedandadoptedbyaninternationalconference,jointly

organizedbytheWorldHealthOrganization,HealthandWelfareCanadaandtheCanadian

dredandtwelveparticipantsfrom38countriesmetfrom

November17to21,1986,inOttawa,Canadatoexchangeexperiencesandshareknowledgeof

healthpromotion.

TheConferencestimulatedanopendialogueamonglay,healthandotherprofessional

workers,amongreprentativesofgovernmental,voluntaryandcommunityorganizations,and

amongpoliticians,administrators,ipantscoordinatedtheir

rengthenedtheir

individualandcollectivecommitmenttothecommongoalofHealthforAllbytheYear2000.

ThisCHARTERforactionreflectsthespiritofearlierpublicchartersthroughwhichtheneedsof

RTERprentsfundamentalstrategiesand

approachesforhea

conferencereportdevelopstheissuesraid,givesconcreteexamplesandpracticalsuggestions

regardinghowrealadvancescanbeachieved,andoutlinestheactionrequiredofcountriesand

relevantgroups.

sreaffirmednotonly

betheexperiencesbutbythepledgesofConferenceparticipantswhowereinvitedasindividuals

lowingcountrieswerereprented:Antigua,Australia,

Austria,Belgium,Bulgaria,Canada,Czechoslovakia,Denmark,Eire,England,Finland,France,

GermanDemocraticRepublic,FederalRepublicofGermany,Ghana,Hungary,Iceland,Israel,

Italy,Japan,Malta,Netherlands,NewZealand,NorthernIreland,Norway,Poland,Portugal,

Romania,-Nevis,Scotland,Spain,Sudan,Sweden,Switzerland,UnionofSovietSocialist

Republic,UnitedStatesofAmerica,WalesandYugoslavia.

toreorienthealthrvicesandtheirresourcestowardsthepromotionofhealth;andto

sharepowerwithotherctors,otherdisciplinesandmostimportantlywithpeople

themlves;

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torecognizehealthanditsmaintenanceasamajorsocialinvestmentandchallenge;

andtoaddresstheoverallecologicalissueofourwaysofliving.

Theconferenceurgesallconcernedtojointhemintheircommitmenttoastrongpublichealth

alliance.

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