The launch of the WHO Global Initiative on Health Equity for Persons with Disabilities (COSP18 Side Event) occurred on 10 June 21025 in New York. https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1b/k1bib36592 Dirk Platzen (Australia) announced Australia's shift from "disability inclusion" to "disability equity" and how the voices of people with disability were important in our the country's efforts.
https://www.who.int/initiatives/disability-health-equity-initiative
This morning I met with Elsie (11), Zach (9) and Chloe (8) who were Australian advisors for the Children Draw Talking Project that now appears on the United Nations (UN) website:
https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/issues/youth/hr75/submissions/subm-views-youth-led-cso-early-childhood-interdisciplinary-resear.pdf
The World Health Organization in Geneva Switzerland saw our submission on the UN website – and want us to do something like this again – but this time about children’s insights into health, being healthy, and accessing healthcare services (hospital, doctor, dentist, nurse, vaccinations, optometry, audiology, speech pathology, physiotherapy, psychology, social work, occupational therapy, etc.). The WHO especially want to learn about the insights of children who have a disability.
This morning Zach, Elsie, and Chloe gave me advice about how to approach our new research project with the World Health Organization. They are going to brainstorm with their friends and family about "what makes you healthy". Here are some of their initial ideas: a carrot, exercise, sport, netball, medicine, bikes. We also talked about accessing healthcare. I will chat with them and more of my Australian advisors during January to prepare documentation for WHO in February.
Thanks Chloe, Zach and Elsie!
This work will be part of our new Children’s Voices Centre https://www.csu.edu.au/research/childrens-voices-centre/home
 |
| Zach, Chloe and Elsie chatting via Zoom |
 | |
| Elsie, Chloe, Zach, Sharynne |
Here are some of the things that Elsie, Zach and Chloe's advice (+ others in their family) have helped us with in the past:
Tonight A/Prof Kate Crowe and I had a fantastic meeting with Dr Kaloyan Kamenov and Dr Mélanie Gréaux from the WHO Disability team in Geneva. They have invited us to collaborate with them on projects relating to factors that contribute to health inequity for people (children) with disability.
 |
| Dr Mélanie Gréaux (WHO), Dr Kaloyan Kamenov (WHO), A/Prof Kate Crowe, Prof Sharynne McLeod |
There are 40 actions within the Global Report on Health Equity for Persons with Disability https://www.who.int/teams/noncommunicable-diseases/sensory-functions-disability-and-rehabilitation/global-report-on-health-equity-for-persons-with-disabilities Of the 10 strategic entry points, we identified that # 3 is particularly related to our work at CSU, and we also have expertise in 7, 9, and 10:
1. Political commitment, leadership, and governance;
2. Health financing;
3. Engagement of communities and other stakeholders;
4. Models of care;
5. Health and care workforce;
6. Physical infrastructure;
7. Digital technologies for health;
8. Systems for improving the quality of care;
9. Monitoring and evaluation;
10. Health policy and systems research
The 74th World Health Assembly recommended "progress on disability inclusion in the health sector towards 2030" https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA74/A74_R8-en.pdf
Here are some of the rationales for this work:
"...Recognizing also the need to include the experiences and perspectives of persons with disabilities and their representative organizations in all issues, including by taking steps to ensure and actively facilitate their meaningful participation in programmes, policy and decision making processes;
Noting that globally one in seven persons experience some form of disability and that this number continues to increase owing to many underlying factors such as population ageing and the rise in the prevalence of chronic health conditions;
Noting also the persisting attitudinal, institutional and environmental barriers, including discriminatory attitudes towards disability and inaccessible communities..." https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA74/A74_R8-en.pdf
Here is the rationale underpinning the request
"INVITES international organizations and other relevant stakeholders, including intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations, private sector companies, academia and, in particular, organizations of persons with disabilities:
(1) to collaborate with Member States in respecting, protecting and fulfilling the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health of persons with disabilities;
(2) to forge partnerships and alliances that mobilize and share knowledge and best practices on disability inclusion;
(3) to amplify the voices of persons with disabilities and their representative organizations, and raise awareness of the rights, capabilities and contributions of persons with disabilities;
(4) to include persons with disabilities in health research so that they benefit from its outcomes and products" https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA74/A74_R8-en.pdf
Here is a paper that has informed this work:
Gréaux, M., Moro, M. F., Kamenov, K., Russell, A. M., Barrett, D., & Cieza, A. (2023). Health equity for persons with disabilities: A global scoping review on barriers and interventions in healthcare services. International Journal for Equity in Health, 22(1), 236. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-023-02035-w
We are excited about partnering with WHO in this important work.