The Third Global Symposium on Health Systems Research will be held in Cape Town, South Africa, from 30 September to 3 October 2014.The theme of the symposium is the science and practice of people-centred health systems. Researchers, policy-makers, funders, implementers and other stakeholders, from all regions and all socio-economic levels, will work together on the challenge of how to make health systems more responsive to the needs of individuals, families and communities. The symposium invites abstract submissions. The Organized session abstract submission closes 15 January 2014 and the Individual abstract submission closes 3 March 2014. More information is available on the symposium website.
Jobs and Announcements
Third Global Symposium on Health Systems Research, Cape Town, South Africa, 30 September -3 October 2014
Call for Abstracts: Call closes 15 January 2014
World AIDS Day, 1 December 2013
World Health Organisation Geneva
World AIDS Day on 1 December brings together people from around the world to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and demonstrate international solidarity in the face of the pandemic. The day is an opportunity for public and private partners to spread awareness about the status of the pandemic and encourage progress in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care in high prevalence countries and around the world. Between 2011-2015, World AIDS Days will have the theme of "Getting to zero: zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS related deaths". The World AIDS Campaign focus on "Zero AIDS related deaths" signifies a push towards greater access to treatment for all; a call for governments to act now. It is a call to honour promises like the Abuja declaration and for African governments to at least hit targets for domestic spending on health and HIV.
Call for applicants: Consultancy for e-mHealth Strategy Development for ECSA HC
Call closes 27 October 2013
This call is for a consultant to design an E/M health strategy and its implementation plan for the ECSA Health Community region in consultation with relevant stakeholders and regional players, ie to undertake an in-depth assessment of the status of implementation of e/mhealth in the ECSA region; present the findings of the assessment to ECSA secretariat; develop the draft regional e/mhealth strategy based on the findings of the situational assessment and an implementation plan for the strategy and present it at a draft regional validation workshop and submit the final regional e/mhealth strategy to ECSA secretariat. Further details at the ECSA HC website.
Call for applicants: Consultant Documentation and Sharing of Best Practice in Retention of Health Workers: Assessment of Kenya and Malawi Retention Packages
Call closes 30 November 2013
The main purpose of the assignment is to document and share best practices on retention of HRH as a strategy for motivation and improved productivity with specific objectives of: determining the various retention strategies in Kenya and Malawi; identifying best practices in retention of health workers, including those for reproductive health and family planning; and
benchmarking with best practices regionally and internationally with a view to create a conducive environment for public health workers. Further information can be found on the ECSA HC website.
Call for Applicants: Human Rights Scholarship
Deadline: 31 October 2013
The Human Rights Scholarship (HRS) is awarded to local or international applicants wishing to undertake graduate research studies at the University of Melbourne in the human rights field and who are able to demonstrate their commitment to the peaceful advancement of respect for human rights. Each year the University offers two HRSs. Applicants must be able to demonstrate that their commitment to the peaceful advancement of respect for human rights extends beyond their academic studies (such as voluntary work and/or work experience). Applicants must have applied for, or be currently enrolled in a graduate research degree in the human rights field at the University of Melbourne. Applicants who have commenced their graduate research degree must have at least 12 months full-time or equivalent candidature remaining. International students must have an unconditional course offer at the University of Melbourne for the course for which they seek the support of a HRS.
Call for papers: Science & practice of people-centred health systems
Deadline: 13 November 2013
The journal Health Policy and Planning and the organisers of the Third Global Symposium on Health Systems Research are pleased to issue a call for papers for a special supplement on the theme of "The science and practice of people-centred health systems". People-centred health systems are founded on pro-people philosophies of social justice and equity, recognise the role of social exclusion and inequities as determinants of poor health, and can also actively work to address them. They consider the health needs and preferences of individuals, families and communities, and create the channels through which these can be articulated and realised. They also recognise and actively progress people’s rights to participate in and determine how health systems are organised, resources are allocated, and services are delivered. Original research articles as well as review papers are invited. The theme may reflect either in the topic or focus of the paper (e.g. research on people-led governance, health worker rights or patient-led health care), in the analytical approach adopted (e.g. ethical analysis, approaches that help understand people’s behaviour and motivation), or in the manner of conduct of research (e.g. participatory approaches, focus on researcher reflexivity).
Call for Papers: Science & Practice of People-Centred Health Systems
Deadline: 13 November 2013
The journal Health Policy and Planning and the organisers of the Third Global Symposium on Health Systems Research are pleased to issue a call for papers for a special supplement on the theme of "The science and practice of people-centred health systems". People-centred health systems are founded on pro-people philosophies of social justice and equity, recognise the role of social exclusion and inequities as determinants of poor health, and can also actively work to address them. They consider the health needs and preferences of individuals, families and communities, and create the channels through which these can be articulated and realised. They also recognise and actively progress people’s rights to participate in and determine how health systems are organised, resources are allocated, and services are delivered. Original research articles as well as review papers are invited. The theme may reflect either in the topic or focus of the paper (e.g. research on people-led governance, health worker rights or patient-led health care), in the analytical approach adopted (e.g. ethical analysis, approaches that help understand people’s behaviour and motivation), or in the manner of conduct of research (e.g. participatory approaches, focus on researcher reflexivity).
Civil Society Week: Bringing Citizen Voice into the Post-2015 Development Vision
Johannesburg, South Africa: 10-15 November 2013
CIVICUS is calling for participants to a series of civil society events taking place between 10 and 15 November 2013 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Coming just two months after the UN General Assembly meetings in New York in September 2013, the week of strategising, dialogue and mobilisation will provide a space for global civil society to chart a route forwards on how to bring real citizen voice, accountability and mobilisation into the newly emerging development vision. Two major global civil society conferences, at the heart of the week, are being hosted for the first time outside of Europe. 1. The conference on Building a Global Citizens Movement, convened by CONCORD/DEEEP, will take place on 11-12 November, and bring grassroots activists and social movements together with organised civil society. A session hosted by CIVICUS and partners, with a special South African focus, will connect the experiences of yesterday’s struggle activists with more recent social justice movements. 2. The International Civil Society Centre's Global Perspectives 2013 conference engages global and national CEOs of leading international civil society organisations in a dialogue around navigating disruptive change. The conference is co-hosted by ActionAid International and CIVICUS and will take place on 13-15 November.
Seventh SAHARA Conference 2013
7-10 October 2013: Dakar, Senegal
The Social Aspects of HIV and AIDS Research Alliance (SAHARA), established in 2001 by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), is an alliance of partners established to conduct, support and use social sciences research to prevent the further spread of HIV and mitigate the impact of its devastation in sub-Saharan Africa. The SAHARA 7 conference theme is "Translating evidence into action: Engaging with communities, policies, human rights, gender, service delivery".
Call for participants: East and Southern Africa regional training workshop on participatory methods for a people-centred health system: Strengthening community focused, primary health care oriented approaches to social accountability and action: 7–11 Octo
Deadline: 3 September 2013
TARSC, through COPASAH, a network for accountability in health, and EQUINET, are planning to hold a regional workshop on Participatory Approaches to Strengthening People Centred Health Systems in the east and southern African region, focusing on ways of improving public involvement, social action and accountability in health for local action and advocacy. The workshop will explore how to raise community voice in strengthening the resourcing and functioning of primary health care (PHC) systems through the use of participatory approaches to build community roles in accountability and action. It seeks to support work at national, district and local level with health systems and communities in health, with a major focus on the interactions at primary health care level. Interested applicants should submit a one or two page ‘expression of interest’, a personal CV including community based research and training and any prior experience of, training in or use of PRA or social accountability methods, and some brief information on the institution that they work in. Note that applicants who are not already members of COPASAH are requested to complete their membership form on line as part of the application process. See http://www.copasah.net/copasah-membership.html
Further details: /newsletter/id/38580