Health, Health Care, and Health Communications

• Health Books International: HBI’s main objective is to promote the health of children and advance medical knowledge and teaching in the UK and throughout the world by providing and developing educational material. HBI is a good source for obtaining David Werner’s books in Europe and around the world.

• The World Health Organization is the United Nations specialized agency for health. WHO’s objective, as set out in its Constitution, is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health. Health is defined in WHO’s Constitution as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

• UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential.

• UNDP is the UN’s global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life.

• Hesperian Foundation distributes David Werner’s first three books as well as other self help books patterned after them. They also maintain a translation list of Where There Is No Doctor, Helping Health Workers Learn, and Disabled Village Children.

• Child-to-Child: The distinguishing characteristics of Child-to-Child are the direct involvement of children in the process of health education and promotion and the nature of their involvement. The most effective programs are those that involve children in decision-making rather than merely using them as communicators of adult messages. However, whenever children are involved as partners in this way, change is demanded in current structures and methodologies in health and education.

• Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) is a federation of 24 State Voluntary Health Associations, linking together more than 4000 health care institutions and grassroots level community health programs spread across the country. VHAI’s primary objective is to make health a reality for the people of India by promoting community health, social justice & human rights related to the provision and distribution of health services in India.

Politics of Health

• Politics of Health Knowledge Network is an interactive, action oriented web site coordinated by HealthWrights. Its goal is to provide, clear, well organized, well referenced, information about the man-made, political and macro-economic causes of poverty and poor health. The Network analyzes different issues, placing each topic in the context of the larger picture. It gives examples of positive alternatives, provides suggestions for coordinated action for change, and lists relevant groups to contact and work with. We need your volunteer help in building and expanding this site. Please contact: volunteer@politicsofhealth.org.

• People’s Health Movement: The goal of the People’s Health Movement is to re-establish health and equitable development as top priorities in local, national and international policy-making, with comprehensive primary health care as the strategy to achieve these priorities. Be sure to get on the PHA Exchange List.

• HealthWrights has worked closely the Third World Network (based in Malaysia). TWN publishes articles and books on the politics of health, and on disability issues, to some of which HealthWrights has contributed.

• Doctors for Global Health is a private, non-government organization that works to improve the health and rights of disadvantaged people, both through hands-on community based activities, and at the policy level.

• Partners in Health is a non-profit organization that works to improve the health and rights of disadvantaged people, at the policy level, and through hands-on community based activities in Latin America, the Caribbean, Russia and the USA. Outstanding work in AIDS and TB. Excellent publications including The Uses of Haiti by Paul Farmer, and Dying for Growth: Global Inequality and the Health of the Poor by Jim Kim et al. 2000.

• International Forum on Globalization (IFG) is an alliance of 60 organizations in 25 countries. Works to educate people and organize action concerning the dangers of the current paradigm of economic globalization, which puts the profits of giant corporations before basic human and environmental needs. Based in San Francisco. Many excellent publications. (Editor’s Note: As of early 2021, this organization appears to be defunct.)

• Equinet, the Network on Equity in Health in Southern Africa, is a network on research, civil society, and health sector organizations. Equinet produces an information-packed online Equinet Newsletter, which although focused on Africa has many articles of global significance.

• Centre for Research on Globalization has a wealth of carefully researched information and penetrating analysis of the way in which the macro-economy and “military industrial complex” that puts corporate profit before human and environmental needs. Many excellent articles by Michel Chossudovsky; including excellent analysis of the real reason for the US war on Iraq. Also extracts from his new book, War and Globalisation, the Truth behind September 11.

• Health Action International (HAI) is an informal network of more than 150 consumer, health, development and other public interest groups involved in health and pharmaceutical issues in more than 70 countries around the world. An important watchdog group that monitors the pharmaceutical industry and promotes an Essential Drug Policy.

• Food First (The Institute for Food and Development Policy) is a member-supported, nonprofit ‘peoples’ think tank and education-for-action center. Its work highlights root causes and value-based solutions to hunger and poverty around the world, with a commitment to establishing food as a fundamental human right. Many excellent books, reports, articles, films, electronic media.

Disability and Rehabilitation

• College Resources for Students with Disabilities.

• PROJIMO. HealthWrights works closely with Project PROJIMO (Program of Rehabilitation Organized by Disabled Youth of Western Mexico). PROJIMO grew out of Project Piaxtla, a villager-run health care network in the mountains of western Mexico. Project Piaxtla, an early pioneer of community-based Primary Health Care, was active from the mid 1960s into the early 1990s. PROJIMO has recently launched its own web site.

• Masválidos, now defunct (2021), was a Community-Based Rehabilitation program in Culiacán, Mexico with close ties to PROJIMO.

• The World Institute on Disability (WID) is a nonprofit, international public-policy center dedicated to carrying out cutting edge research on disability issues and overcoming obstacles to independent living.

• The Inter-American Institute on Disability (IID) acts as a catalyst and a broker, forging partnerships to improve cooperation for disability and development in the Inter-American Region and in other Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries.

• The International Center for Disability Resources on the Internet (ICDRI) collects disability-related Internet resources, including resources that may be helpful to the disability community.

• Disabled Peoples’ International (DPI) is a grassroots, cross-disability network with member organizations in over 158 countries, over half of which are in the developing world, promoting the Human Rights of People with Disabilities through full participation, equalization of opportunity, and development.

• HI (formerly Handicap International, a.k.a. Humanity & Inclusion) strives to intervene as rapidly as possible in favor of the handicapped and the most vulnerable populations wherever and whenever armed conflict has destroyed existing systems of assistance and solidarity, where there are severe economic problems, and where the association’s expertise in prevention and socioeconomic development is requested.

• The Institute on Independent Living serves self-help organizations of disabled people who work for equal opportunities, self-determination and self-respect. They offer training materials, technical assistance and information on personal assistance, advocacy, access, legislation and peer support.

Volunteering Opportunities

• A guide for students interested in volunteering, at home or internationally, with tips and resources.

Other Sites We Support