Participate in the second Global Health Watch, by submitting human interest stories and case studies. We are calling on activists, health workers and academics from around the world to submit case studies and testimonies or stories based on individual or group experiences to supplement the second edition of the report and reinforce its main themes.

The Watch: Examining the World's Health
from an Alternative Perspective
(Illustration: Giovanni Maki, Public Library of Science)

Why should you get involved

The Global Health Watch is a non-government initiative aimed at supporting civil society to more effectively campaign and lobby for 'health for all' and equitable access to health care. This is not a matter of finding a technical or economic prescription, but is one that requires political mobilisation to shift resources and attention towards the needs of the poor, and to reform the very political and social institutions that have generated the state of ill health today.The Global Health Watch provides a platform for academics, activists and non-government organisations to:

• Promote the accountability of governments and global institutions that affect health (such as the World Health Organisation, UNICEF and the World Bank)
• Identify policies and practices at the global and national levels that are unfair, unjust and bad for health
• Highlight the needs of the poor and reinvigorate the principle of 'health for all'
• Shift the health policy agenda to recognise the political, social and economic barriers to better health and to advocate alternatives to market-driven approaches to health and health care

But Watch aims to do more than just produce another document - it also aims to provide a voice for health workers and the academic and non-government community from as many countries as possible.

How you can voice your views

The Global Health Watch is putting out a call for the submission of local country or region-specific case studies and testimonies. These case studies and testimonies will form part of the electronic accompaniment to the development of the Watch and in some cases may also appear in the electronic or print edition of GHW 2007-2008, due to be launched in early 2008. The case studies will amplify and give a more personal voice to the contents of the Watch. They will also make the issues more accessible and meaningful to readers who may be able to see their own experiences reflected in the experiences of others.

Some examples:

• Positive and negative examples of policies and actions to secure improved and equitable access to health care.
• Examples of interventions to address public sector corruption and inefficiency.
• Examples of effective, efficient and inclusive public health care systems.
• Evidence showing the negative effects of commercialised health care on professional ethics and access to health care.
• Case studies on what is driving good and bad processes of decentralisation, with some analysis; illustrative case studies of where deconcentration, devolution and delegation have worked, where it hasn't worked and why.
• The effects of good and bad practices of bilateral and multi-lateral donors on public health stewardship and on the performance of health care systems.
• Examples of civil society resistance to the effect of privatised public services including health, education and water and electricity utilities on equitable and fair access.
• Stories and case studies of the positive and negative impact of multi-national corporations on health policy.
• Stories and case studies of the difficulty that country governments have in responding to the needs and demands of multiple international agencies (creditors such as the World Bank, traditional bilateral donors, relatively new institutions such as GAVI and the Global Fund, international NGOs).

Guidelines/criteria for selection:

• We are looking for short and concise submissions of 500 - 2000 words. These can either be stories (personal story or reflections written in your own words) or case studies (synthesis of experiences which may include direct quotes illustrating an issue or a number of issues);
• They should be relevant for people's health, and reflect a personal or group experience;
• They should cover issues broadly falling within the framework of the GHW themes;
• Statistical information should not be used except in support of case studies/testimony and in which case it should be kept to a minimum;
• Should be written in clear English - please avoid academic and scientific jargon. The testimonies need to be accessible and readable (remember that English is not the first language of many readers of the watch);
• If possible they should have a narrative / story telling character

Please indicate:

• your organisation (if you are part of one)
• your locality/country/region
• whether you want your submission to be anonymous and why

The publication will be freely downloadable from the net so effectively there will be no copyright. Please inform us if your story or case study has been submitted / published elsewhere. Also please make sure that there are no personal details that anyone would not want made public; names and place names can be changed.

The editorial collective of the GHW will consider submitted stories and case studies for inclusion on the website or within the electronic and/or print edition of GHW2 (with a specific focus on human interest stories). The GHW editorial reserves the right to edit all submissions. Not all stories and case studies will be accepted for a variety of reasons including space and consistency.

Case studies and stories posted on the website will have the following disclaimer:
The views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the editors of the GHW. While we make every effort to ensure that all facts and figures quoted by authors are accurate, the GHW and the editors of GHW cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies.