European Public Health Alliance (EPHA)

EPHA IS A CHANGE AGENT – EUROPE’S LEADING NGO ALLIANCE ADVOCATING FOR BETTER HEALTH. A member-led organisation made up of public health NGOs, patient groups, health professionals and disease groups, they work to improve health and strengthen the voice of public health in Europe. Their actions and campaigns reflect their values: equity, solidarity, sustainability, universality, diversity and good governance. Since formal establishment in spring 1993, EPHA has built a solid network of over 90 members dedicated to provide better health for all. Their mission and vision are enshrined in their Statutes. Their mission is to bring together the public health community to provide thought leadership and facilitate change; to build public health capacity to deliver equitable solutions to European public health challenges, to improve health and reduce health inequalities. Their vision is of a Europe with universal good health and well-being, where all have access to a sustainable and high quality health system: A Europe whose policies and practices contribute to health, both within and beyond its borders. EPHA works on six key thematic campaigns, and runs a number of actions on cross-cutting issues. By 2020, EPHA aims to make sure that public health objectives and the reduction of health inequalities will be fully taken into account (‘mainstreamed’) through all relevant EU policies and programmes, with the EU institutions making a shift to a Governance for Health and Wellbeing approach. EPHA is a member of, among others, the Social Platform and the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL). They monitor the policy making process within the EU institutions and support the flow of information on health promotion and public health policy developments amongst all interested players including: politicians, civil servants, NGOs, stakeholders and the public; They promote greater awareness amongst European citizens and NGOs about policy developments and programme initiatives that effect the health of those living in the EU, allowing them to contribute to the policy making process; They train, mentor and support NGOs and health actors to engage with the EU, particularly local organisations, those working with disadvantaged communities and in central and Eastern Europe; They participate in policy debates and stakeholder dialogues to raise the profile of health in all policy areas, supporting collaboration and partnerships between non-governmental organisations and other organisations active at European, national and local level on health promotion and public health.