International perspective


Updated July 2006 With the advent of real-time communication technologies, the ability and ease of long-distance travel, and of course the publishing capabilities of the internet, international cooperation and combined learning between nation states, inter-governmental organisations and non-governmental organisations has become more prominent in the healthcare field in recent years. This section introduces some of the key players and their work in relation to health and ageing.

The Commonwealth
The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 53 independent sovereign states, consulting and cooperating in the common interests of their peoples and in the promotion of international understanding and world peace. It is not a rules-bound organisation but, instead, Commonwealth members subscribe to a number of declarations that enshrine common standards and principles. Their Health Goal is to "strengthen health systems and programmes on HIV/AIDS, maternal mortality, infant mortality and managed migration of human resources in health". The UK actively supports the Commonwealth’s work on health issues.

The Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an inter-governmental organisation that aims to protect human rights, parliamentary democracy and the rule of law throughout its 46 member states across Europe. It also aims to promote awareness and encourage the development of Europe’s cultural identity and diversity.

The UK government plays an active part in the Council of Europe’s work in the field of health (go to health section of the Council of Europe website). The European Health Committee’s role is to encourage European cooperation on health promotion, to safeguard and improve the health of citizens in the member states.

The UK government also participates in Partial Agreements (so called because not all member states put resources into this work) to work on social and public health and on Integrating People with Disabilities. The UK also supports the Council of Europe’s efforts to strengthen human dignity and social rights and covers a variety of actions to combat inequalities, promote protection of groups at risk and to reinforce supporting measures to family policy.

European Union (EU)
The European Community originally consisted of three communities, based on the post-war desire to unite the divided European countries to promote peace and prosperity. The name European Union (EU) was created by the Maastricht Treaty coming into force in 1993. This amended each of the existing piecemeal treaties, increasing their powers and outlining further activities that the member states could undertake. It also provided an overarching term for the variety of functions within the EU.

- European Union Online
- European Commission: Public health
- European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions

AGE
AGE is the European Older Person's Platform. It aims to voice and promote the interests of older people in the European Union, to raise awareness of the issues that concern them most and support networking among older people's groups.

United Nations
The United Nations officially came into existence on 24 October 1945, when the UN Charter was ratified by a majority of the original 51 member states. The purpose of the United Nations is to bring all nations of the world together to work for peace and development, based on the principles of justice, human dignity and the wellbeing of all people. It affords the opportunity for countries to balance global interdependence and national interests when addressing international problems.

Its aims are:
  • to keep peace throughout the world
  • to develop friendly relations between nations
  • to work together to help people live better lives, to eliminate poverty, disease and illiteracy in the world, to stop environmental destruction and to encourage respect for each other’s rights and freedoms
  • to be a centre for helping nations achieve these aims
UN organisations include the following:
- UN Programme on Ageing
- UN ECE: Economic Commission for Europe - Population Activities Unit
- Monitoring RIS. Monitors the progress of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing 2002 which was adopted by the Second World Assembly in Madrid in April 2002.
- UN Population Division

World Assembly on Ageing
Since the adoption of an International Plan of Action at the first World Assembly in Vienna, Austria, in 1982, pervasive demographic changes have been transforming the world. The second United Nations World assembly on Ageing convened in Madrid, Spain from 8 to 12 April 2002, in order to respond to the opportunities and challenges of these demographic changes. It convened to respond to a rapidly ageing population during the 21st century and promote the development of a ‘society for all ages’, the theme of the 1999 International Year of Older Persons.

On the last day of the conference, a new International Plan of Action on Ageing was adopted following intensive negotiations. The new Plan focuses both on political priorities such as improvement in living conditions of older persons, combating poverty, social inclusion, individual self-fulfilment, human rights and gender equality, but also to an increasing degree on such holistic and overarching themes as intergenerational solidarity, employment, social security, health and wellbeing, as well as the interchange between government and civil society.

The document as a whole has a holistic approach and also takes up the UN concept of ‘Building a Society for all Ages’ as one of its central themes (read more here).

Comité Permanent des Médecins Européens - Standing Committee of European Doctors
The Standing Committee of European Doctors is non profit-making international organisation made up of European Union national medical associations.

The Standing Committee is concerned with and promotes:
  • the highest level of medical training, medical practice and healthcare within the European Union
  • the free movement of doctors within the European Union
  • public health with the European Union
  • the relationship between doctors and patients.
World Medical Association
The World Medical Association (WMA) is an international organisation representing physicians from approximately 80 countries. The organisation was created to ensure the independence of physicians, and to work towards the highest standards of ethical behaviour and care. The WMA provides a forum for its member associations to communicate freely, to co-operate actively, to achieve consensus on high standards of medical ethics and professional competence, and to promote the professional freedom of physicians worldwide.

World Health Organisation
The Chief Medical Officer represents the UK on the Executive Board (the governing body) of the World Health Organisation (WHO), which is a specialised agency of the United Nations with 192 member states. WHO promotes technical cooperation for health among nations, carries out programmes to control and eradicate disease, and strives to improve the quality of human life.

WHO has undertaken a number of initiatives on ageing as shown below:

Related sites:
- Ageing and Life Course
- World Health Organisation Regional Office for Europe: Health Topics

Fact sheets:
- WHO Regional Office for the Americas (PAHO/AMRO) - Elderly Health
- Ageing: A Public Health Challenge

Related links:
- Reproductive Health and Research (RHR) - Ageing
- WHO Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) - Health Topics
- WHO Regional Office for Europe - Health Ageing

Further information:
- HelpAge International
- International Association of Gerontology
- International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse
- World Heart Federation

© British Medical Association 2008

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