World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA)
WFPHA is the only worldwide professional society representing and serving the broad field of global public health.
Challenge
Many public health professionals do not make the connection between the rule of law and their practice as public health educators, researchers and practitioners. While the pillars of public health include social justice and equity, many who work in public health across the globe either have not been acculturated into the professions with a commitment to these precepts or have been originally trained in other occupational areas that do not share similar foundations.
Program Summary
The project focused on the design and implementation of interdisciplinary training sessions for the 12th World Congress on Public Health held in Istanbul, Turkey April 27-May 4, 2009 and the inaugural Student Congress and Institutes to be held April 25-27, 2009 also in Istanbul. The Congress attracted more than 2,000 public health professionals and 300 students from across the world and thus provided an important venue for training current and future public health professionals.
Impact
There is increased interest among the WFPHA and its member organizations to be engaged in the effort and then session in Turkey stimulated more concern for rule of law and its four principles are evidenced by the Istanbul Declaration issued by the WFPHA. The PowerPoint presentations from the training sessions held in Istanbul are available on the WFPHA site. www.wfpha.org