[fse-esf] RLS-workshop

Sun Apr 22 10:18:29 CEST 2007

Dear Judith,

Your opinionis based on the misunderstanding of the hungarian situation:the liberalisation of the Solidarityprincipled Social Security System in Hungary is wanted by the left:by the Socialists and their allied at the government and outside the government. Those defending the Solidarity Security System against the privatisation, and wanting the suppression of the actually exsting law on Health, are ourcivic organisations, trade unions,centrist and rigthwing democratic groups and forces in opposition. This is thespecificity of the hungarian situation. Of course, leftist can proudly refuse the unity of action withother democrats in the name of the "ideology", but the result of this refusal will be the liberalisation of the health system and the exclusion from the healthcare of about half a million of people in Hungary. You can choose between ideology and life. We are choosing the defense of the life and the rights related with.

 Endre

Judith Dellheim írta:

Dear Friends,

Of course, "Health is ... a question of human right to life. Health is health for all people, independently from their political affiliations." But it is impossible fighting together with right wing political forces for a human right what they don't respect.The right wing would be the only winners fromthe dangerous attempt fighting for a human right together with an enemy of human rights. Such an attemt would only increase their political influense and play their danger down.

I want to invite to an international workshop about health policy of the RosaLuxemburg Foundationin Berlin on 12 and 13 May.The conference languages are Englisch and German. Interested people are pleased to answer immediatly. We have only very limited possibilities for reimbursing.

Best regards

Judith Dellheim

“Capitalism is unhealthy - even for capitalists" is the guiding principle behind the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation’s educational activities on “public health”. Ernst Bloch’s perceptive remark makes clear that the issue here is changing society, because many people in today's society do not feel well. A prerequisite for individual well-being is not to be unhealthy. This leads to the question of how to help the sick and what needs to be done to actively combat the causes of illness.

This also involves exploring issues of social policy hegemony; here change is inextricably linked with individual learning processes. Autonomous change, which should bring social coexistence and well-being for all, is part of political struggle and social processes. Well thought-out strategies are required for success in this struggle and, in particular, social policy strategies to change society.

How can a European health movement supported at a local, communal, regional and country level come about and be politically effective, when health policy is predominantly a national (and only partially an EU/ European) responsibility? Creating, networking and supporting health policy movement(s) would boost the organisation of the health system and social policy along democratic lines. It’s a matter of providing different solutions for how resources are used, by whom, with what goals, and with what consequences for sustainable social and environmental development.

This is why progress for the European health movement is all the more urgent and beneficial since, as well as shared problems locally, in communes, regions, EU Member States and European countries, there are also current EU/European projects and views on the problems which affect everyone and require joint action. Particularly relevant common problems at a communal, regional and national level are:

- the official neo-liberal reorganisation of the health system justified by limited resources, the challenges of demographic change and globalisation, and sustainable public finances - a reorganisation in which responsibility is mainly delegated to individuals, communes and regions, without creating the corresponding conditions to make this work;

- individuals and expanding social groups without health insurance, the correlation between poverty and social exclusion, as well as health problems which are highly concentrated in ethnic groups;

- health problems related to unemployment, more flexible and insecure working conditions, environmental damage, individual lifestyles - i.e. related to the neo-liberal transformation of society. 

European governments and EU institutions have certainly also noticed these problems, but have mainly dealt with them in terms of rising costs and of quality of human resources, harming their ability to overcome the “challenges of globalisation and demographic change”. 

Practical plans for 2007 on the agenda for governments and the EU are directly connected, to a greater or lesser extent, such as: 

- the European Commission’s communication “A strategy for social services of general interest”;

- the legislative proposal to introduce a joint area for reliable and effective health services; 

- the social policy strategy white paper.

Health ministers are also increasingly recognising that a very wide range of policies affect human health, in addition to actual health policies. Ministers have paid particular attention to the experiences of France in this area and agreed on the concept of "Health in all policy areas". They see contradictions between the short-term maximum use of capital, human resources, social cohesion and keeping society in good shape, as well as the costs resulting from neglected social and environmental demands. 

However, these contradictions can only benefit the population if citizens stand up in solidarity for their interests - for their healthcare. Only if they become involved in issues which affect the health of their children and the socially vulnerable - and thus their own lives and social coexistence. Only if the health system, social policy and health policy are organised along democratic lines.

Please see theproposal for the workshop. Please pay attention to the figures in the brackets and to the discussion paper below.

12th May 2007

10.00 am: Welcome and opening of the workshop

10.10 am: Sharing information, relevant “grass-roots” health policy activities 

 since December 2005 and projects currently underway (1)

12.30 pm: Lunch

1.30 pm: Important health policy projects in the EU and GUE/NL activities

 in the European Parliament

2.00 pm: Questions and debate

2.30 pm: Main areas of REDS/PHM work (2)

3.00 pm: Questions and debate

3.30 pm: Coffee break

4.00 pm: Discussion of the 11 points set out below (3)

6.00 pm: End of the 1st day of discussion 

13th May 2007

 9.30 am: Continuation of discussions from the previous day

10.00 am: Conclusions from the 1st day of discussion

11.30 am: Coffee break

 Midday: Plans for social forums, especially the ESF 2008 (4) 

1.30 pm: End of the workshop

Please look at the figures in the brackets 

(1) About which more concrete matter do you want to speak?

(2) Who wants to speak about what?

(3) Would you like to tell me which point is especially interesting for you? About which problem do you want to speak more concrete?

(4) In this connection I want to attract your attention to the formulation in the present “Project for a Charter of Principles for Another Europe”

“Health is a right

- The health-care system must be public, free and available to all. It must respect the

physical and psychological integrity of citizens and the health-care personnel.

- All medical personnel and citizens must be involved in the institutions that manage the health system. The institutions must in particular give priority to the active participation of citizens in managing the health-care system.”

Is it enough or what should we do develop some more concrete positions?

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