Curitiba Statement on Health Promotion and Equity: voices from people concerned with global inequities

Abstract

This Statement represents the voice of participants in the 22nd IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion, held in Curitiba, Brazil, in May 2016. The Brazilian political context at that time greatly influenced the drafting of the Curitiba Statement, which was considered by many participants as an opportunity to categorically express that Brazilian democracy was threatened, as well as the danger of fiscal austerity implemented by many governments of the world. The conference organizers also perceived the launching of this Statement as an opportunity to influence the WHO Shanghai Declaration, since it very strongly stated the influence of commercial interests and corporate practices of the market that are harmful to health. The Curitiba Statement gathers 120 suggestions made by conference participants and focuses on how strengthening health promotion and equity can improve people’s lives. The 21 recommendations were summarized and resulted in appeals to International Organizations, all levels of Governments, Health Sector, Citizens, Health Professionals and Researchers. Unlike a declaration from government summit that are restricted by governments negotiations from different ideological spectrum, the Curitiba Statement was developed in a free environment to foster professional activism. We reaffirm that the objectives of Health Promotion in the Sustainable Development will only be fully achieved by incorporating these four fundamental principles: democracy, social justice, social mobilization and equity. Health Promotion in the twenty-first century needs new narratives and inputs from professional associations, which can be more assertive and to influencing the official declarations of government