Mid-term review of WHO Environment and Health process, April 2015
In April 2015, representatives of health and environment ministries from 53 countries will come together to assess progress in reaching ambitious targets to protect children from environmental threats.
22.11.2014 |WECF
In April 2015, representatives of health and environment ministries from 53 countries will come together in Tel Aviv/Israel to assess progress in reaching ambitious targets to protect children from environmental threats. HEAL and WECF will contribute with a delegation of health and environmental experts and social media action.
The Parma Declaration is the first time-bound outcome of the environment and health process which was first initiated in the late 1980s by European countries to eliminate the most significant environmental threats to human health.
HEAL has represented NGOs for the health sector in the process and EcoForum, represented by WECF, represents environmental NGOs.
Governments of the 53 European Member States set five clear-cut targets in the Parma Declaration to reduce the adverse health impact of environmental threats in the next decade for children’s health including:
- National plans to eliminate asbestos -related diseases;
- Achieving a healthy and tobacco smoke-free indoor air environment in settings for children;
- Eliminating children’s and pregnant women’s exposures to harmful chemical substances;
- Creating healthy and safe environments for children in in which to walk and bike to school and more green spaces to play and exercise, which will also help to prevent injuries, and;
- Achieving safe water and sanitation in schools and other children settings.
Mid-term review
The mid-term review taking place on 28 and 30 April in Haifa, Israel brings together health and environment ministers from the 53 countries to assess how far we have progressed with the ambitious targets set in 2010.
For the meeting a report on the progress made, and challenges ahead will be presented, which includes a chapter on the indispensable contribution of health and environmental NGOs to the process.
HEAL and WECF recently took part in a meeting of the Environment and Health Task Force to discuss the agenda of the meeting, the road map for the time between the MTF and the next ministerial conference as well as some main issues and challenges. For the meeting, health and environmental groups will present their views on the future of the process and the involvement of civil society.
The next ministerial conference will take place in 2017.
Further information on the process is available here
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