Addressing Determinants of Health for Advancing Equity – Phase 2

Determinants of health equity are the social, economic, and environmental conditions that influence people's opportunities to achieve good health, such as income, education, employment, housing and access to healthcare. Advancements in public health, including improvements in nutrition and food security, clean water and sanitation, neonatal health care, antibiotics, vaccines, and other technologies, have significantly increased global life expectancy. However, health inequities persist between populations, communities and countries due to unequal social conditions and access to resources. Ensuring fair health and well-being for everyone requires addressing health inequalities through broad actions on all social factors that affect health, with efforts adjusted to the level of disadvantage. In collaboration with the SDC, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the Special Initiative for Action on the Social Determinants of Health for Advancing Health Equity in 2021. Developed with academic partners from the Institute of Health Equity at University College London and the University of Lausanne (UNISANTE), this initiative aims to tackle health inequities by building on evidence from WHO’s Commission on Social Determinants of Health.

Switzerland’s expertise in advancing health equity, addressing the root causes of health disparities, and applying holistic, participatory, and multisectoral approaches, is central to the Initiative. The latter promotes evidence-based action to strengthen health equity, leveraging systemic change, nor-mative guidelines, and continuous advocacy, thus fully aligning with the Swiss Health Foreign Policy 2019-28. Phase 1 advanced global knowledge on social determinants of health, expanded training, strengthened regional support to establish intersectoral strategies and advocacy to integrate health equity into policies.

Direct beneficiaries: people from communities in vulnerable settings who are directly affected by inequalities.

Indirect beneficiaries: people who act as change agents to deliver on improved policies, strategies and interventions, such as community leaders and representatives, health and social care providers, local authorities and agencies, researchers in regional and global agencies, and academia.

1. Actions to address the social determinants of health equity are implemented, and country action is supported by strengthened regional institutions.
2. Social determinants of health equity organizational and professional capabilities are scaled-up globally.
3. Advocacy is enhanced by improved global knowledge base, evidence and data, and standards on social determinants of health equity.

Resultados previstos:  

• National policies and programmes for health, social, economic and community development (including for health emergencies) improve governance for and action on the social determinants of health equity by integrating the recommendations of the World Report on the Social Determinants of Health Equity.
• Regional organizations (for health, social, economic development), academia and education, mobilize and collaborate to support action on the social determinants of health equity through developing, sustaining and using knowledge, data, tools, training and platforms that foster competencies, civil society collaboration, intercountry exchanges and communities of practice.
• Improved education and training resources available to and used by health, social and economic policy and development organizations and professionals.
• Improved public health evidence, data and guidance on the social determinants of health equity translated into practical tools and information products to promote a common understanding and narrative among health, social and economic, and development programmes and leaders.

Resultados de las fases anteriores:  

• Global Social Determinants of Health knowledge advanced through strategic assessments: COVID-19 equity studies, launch of the Health Inequality Data Repository, and preparation of the World Report on Social Determinants of Health Equity. Knowledge networks and partnerships (e.g., International Labour Organization) aligned health and social policies, while WHO’s Operational Framework provided monitoring tools.
• Global training initiatives included social determinants of health-focused summer schools, WHO Academy courses and specialized trainings on migration, equity, and intersectoral action.
• Robust groundwork established in several “Country Pathfinders”: comprehensive intersectoral strategies with community participation and capacity building as core drivers of change.
• Regional support strengthened through systematic policy reviews, regional commissions and training programs targeting local governments and stakeholders.
• Global advocacy significantly raised awareness of social determinants of health equity through campaigns, COVID-19 webinars, global dialogues and the Sustainable Health Equity Movement. It aligned health equity strategies within WHO and among stakeholders, engaging policymakers to integrate them into governance and health policies.