Education for activism and the struggle for health: The experience of the International People's Health University

The active involvement of communities in health development (equitable access to health care and action on the determinants of health) was central in the Alma-Ata Declaration but has been ignored in the various versions of selective PHC, particularly UNICEF's GOBI FFF, the World Bank's ‘packages' of cost effective interventions that exclude intersectoral actions and community mobilization. More recently vertical programmes, often funded by Global Health Initiatives, have reinforced a selective technical and curative approach. The People's Health Movement (PHM), a large global network of organizations and individual activists sees civil society action as critical to health development. PHM is committed to strengthening communities' voices on their health, building international solidarity around specific health struggles and collaborating in challenging the negative effects of globalisation. The International People's Health University (IPHU) contributes to the struggle for health by organising opportunities for learning, sharing and planning for health activists, particularly those from Third World countries. The political economy of health and health care, comprehensive PHC, and approaches to community mobilization are core components. Since the first course (Cuenca, 2005), thirteen IPHU short courses have been held in different parts of the world (Bhopal, Vancouver, Atlanta, Dhaka, Cairo, Jaipur, Porto Alegre, London, Thessaloniki, Bangalore, Havana, Kisumu and Guatemala)

Education for activism is challenging in terms of curriculum, pedagogy and delivery arrangements. Evaluations by participants provide unique insights into health activism and the practical challenges facing health activists. Description of these courses and analysis of these insights and challenges will be presented.