Global meeting on transforming health systems to serve the wellbeing of indigenous and minority peoples

6 December 2011

Health systems are not delivering indigenous peoples the care and support services they need. They are often the most disadvantaged and marginalized in any country, with low standards of health. Almost a third of the world’s ‘bottom billion’ poorest people are indigenous peoples and among those the majority live in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

On the contrary, health inequities between dominant, majority groups and indigenous and minority people are increasing, both in poorer nations and in countries experiencing rapid economic growth such as Brazil and India.

Indigenous people are also known as Indigenous, Aboriginal, First Nations, tribal or minority groups or peoples. Nationally – or locally – specific terms such as adivasi (in India) and janajati (in Nepal) are also used. As diversity is a unique aspect of indigenous culture the UN working approach of indigenous includes a variety of terms and classifications. Given the scope and depth of the problem developing a common agenda on indigenous health issues is a key issue for sustainable development and poverty alleviation.
 
June 2012, International conference in Bellagio 
From 18 – 22 June 2012 key stakeholders and experts from Asia, Africa and Latin America will meet and share their knowledge and successful experiences and interventions to construct a common transnational agenda aiming to transform state health systems to realize universal health coverage.  

The conference ‘Transforming health systems to serve the wellbeing of indigenous and minority peoples’ is organised by  the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) in collaboration with the Institute of  Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex. The conference will be funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and will be held at the Bellagio Center with support from the Rockefeller Foundation.