Health Equity and Governance
Health Equity and Governance – CHSJ began its operations soon after the National Rural Health Mission (subsequently the National Health Mission) was launched with the promise of better health for the rural poor. Health equity was at the core of NRHM. Health equity is concerned about differences in health outcomes and access to health services between different groups of people and is aimed at bringing about a level playing field. It interrogates whether these are fair or just and avoidable and whether they deprive people of opportunities. It also suggests ways of overcoming these circumstances through systematic efforts. Governance relates to ways in which public systems are designed and delivered. CHSJ has been particularly involved in finding ways to ensure that marginalised communities are empowered and enabled to be represented in the governance process to achieve health equity.
Programme Implemented by CHSJ
2005 – 2010
1st Phase (2005 – 2010)
The National Rural Health Mission introduced the important concepts of community participation and accountability into public health planning for the first time in India. CHSJ undertook several initiatives to strengthen these components.
2nd Phase (2010 – 2015)
During these years CHSJ’s focus shifted to strengthening the health equity and governance related practices at the community level. CHSJ initiated one pilot projects to understand how men could be engaged in a gendered practice of accountability in Madhya Pradesh, and in another pilot understood how communities could get engaged in health budgeting and expenditure tracking at the local level. On the other hand, CHSJ started facilitating process of learning and exchange to strengthen the field of citizen led accountability practice in the field of health. Some of the projects implemented by CHSJ during these years were as follows.
3rd Phase (2015 – 2020)
The emphasis of CHSJ’s work in Health Equity and Governance shifted to building capacity among community-based organizations and to fostering learning collectives. CHSJ also started working more closely with organizations of marginalised communities like trade unions and with community groups like bidi workers and manual scavengers. CHSJ continued to foster a global community of practitioners on Social Accountability in Health as it hosted the Global Secretariat of COPASAH drawing attention to the need for incorporating it into public policy and highlighting key practices.