People empowered to live a healthier life

Our Work

What is Health Promotion

Health Promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health. This foundational definition, articulated in the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (1986), remains the guiding principle of the Alliance for Health Promotion. 

The Ottawa Charter five action areas:

  1. Build Healthy Public Policy 

  2. Create Supportive Environment 

  3. Strengthen Community Action 

  4. Develop Personal Skills 

  5. Reorient Health Services 

These principles emphasize a holistic, inclusive, and participatory approach to health. Health promotion is not just about individual behavior change—it is about creating the conditions that allow communities to thrive. It requires advocacy, mediation, and enabling action across all sectors of society. 

A diagram with a green spiral and flames illustrating the Ottawa Charter for Health, highlighting actions for community and national health development.
Black and white photo of a woman speaking to a seated audience of people, including children, at a community health promotion event. A group of onlookers is gathered around.

Advancing Health Promotion Worldwide 

“Without the involvement of NGOs, the WHO and governments have not enough means and channels to promote health.”
— First Meeting with NGOs during WHA50, 1997

Since its inception, the Alliance has been a catalyst for global health promotion worldwide through:  

  • The 18 years of consistent and regular engagement with WHO and its various constituencies have led the Alliance to obtaining Official Relations with WHO in 2015. This status strengthens the Alliance’s position to further develop relationships in the public health sphere and promote good health. This status entitles the Alliance to submit statements as a non-state actor at WHO governing body meetings and during the WHA. It equally allows for spreading awareness at WHO and international meetings; and with WHO support, organizes annual NGO Briefings during the WHA.

    In July 2015, the Alliance gained ECOSOC special consultative status at the UN, increasing their agency and capacity to implement effective change on the UN global agenda.

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  • Since 2010 the Alliance has provided an annual Global Forum to address health, in terms of human well-being, in all of its dimensions. This change in paradigm calls for policies that overcome fragmentation and ‘silo’ approaches. It needs to be understood that good health is central to sustainable social and economic development across all sectors of global society. This requires a holistic approach to future strategies.

    The Global Forum provides an important platform for NGOs, civil society, governments, academic institutions and other key stakeholders to address the current challenges of health promotion and set the agenda for research, advocacy and action. It is an opportunity for all those involved in promoting a healthier lifestyle to share and learn from one another whilst building consensus on best practices. New and innovative approaches based on emerging research as well as the experiences of grassroots project implementers are showcased.

  • The aim of the regional workshops is to partner with grassroots organizations by providing awareness training on health promotion.

    The workshops originated from a brainstorming session in 2011 with Afro-European Medical and Research Network (AEMRN), a former Board member of the Alliance. AEMRN had been holding rural mobile clinics in several African countries. Kitale, a rural town in Western Kenya was selected as the location for the Alliance’s first Regional Workshop which followed a week long mobile clinic service. Over 100 participants attended and identified the most urgent health-related issues of the community, and represented a diverse array of sectors including community leaders, health professionals, patients, teachers, local NGOs and the government, among other stakeholders.

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  • The Alliance’s Annual Briefing is a side event of the WHA held each year in May in Geneva. The Annual Briefing serves as a platform for civil society, governments and other key players in health promotion to share experiences, practices, ideas, identify gaps, and agree on priorities for action, as well as identify their respective roles.

    As the health promotion landscape changes the Annual Briefing needs to evolve to stay relevant. The Annual Briefing aims to shift its focus to discuss the most relevant items to the Agenda of the WHA, to continue addressing the most pressing global challenges. 

  • A4HP regularly contributes to shaping WHO’s agenda by advocating for community engagement, health literacy, and equity.

    Additionally, the Alliance organizes consultations to take advantage of the presence of many NGOs attending the Executive Board sessions in Geneva in January, though most attendees of the Consultation have been Geneva-based NGOs. The main goal of these consultations is exchanging and strategizing for WHA. Guest speakers are invited to address the main issues during this meeting.

  • Through partnerships with IFMSA and IPSF, the Alliance fosters the next generation of health leaders.

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Our History

Cover page of a report titled 'Connecting Civil Society for Healthier Populations' featuring a group of diverse people raising their hands outdoors, with a large chair sculpture in the background. The report is by the Alliance for Health Promotion.

For over 25 years, the Alliance for Health Promotion has been dedicated to strengthening global efforts in health and well-being. As a coalition of international NGOs, academic institutions, and civil society leaders, we work to advance policies and initiatives that empower communities and promote sustainable health solutions. 

Our journey began in 1997 as an ad-hoc advisory group during the 4th International Conference on Health Promotion in Jakarta. Recognizing the need for a structured civil society voice in global health, the Alliance was formally established in 2008 and registered in Geneva, Switzerland. 

Key Milestones Include:

Gaining Official Relations with WHO in 2015 

Receiving ECOSOC Consultative Status at the United Nations 

Hosting Global Forums and Regional Workshops across continents 

Our work is grounded in the belief that health promotion must be community-driven, inclusive, and rooted in local knowledge. We continue to bridge the gap between global policy and grassroots action.  

“The mission of the Alliance has always been to support the individual and the community to take greater
control of their health”
— Bernard Kadasia, 2020
Group of people sitting in a circle outdoors on green grass, under trees, participating in a meeting or discussion during the daytime.
School children washing their hands at sinks outdoors, wearing uniforms, under a leafy tree.
Business meeting or conference with participants seated around a U-shaped table in a room, presenter standing at the front.

Focus on the Community

We work with grassroots organizations, youth networks, and civil society leaders to ensure that health promotion is not just a policy concept, but a lived reality. Whether through regional workshops in Kenya and India, community-based research, or capacity-building initiatives, A4HP helps communities take ownership of their health and well-being. 

  • We work with grassroots organizations, youth networks, and civil society leaders to ensure that health promotion is not just a policy concept, but a lived reality. Whether through regional workshops in Kenya and India, community-based research, or capacity-building initiatives, A4HP helps communities take ownership of their health and well-being. 

    Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) play a central role in this mission. As trusted actors embedded in communities, NGOs are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between global health policies and local realities. Their ability to mobilize, educate, and advocate makes them indispensable partners in achieving health equity and sustainable development. 

    Our commitment to community is rooted in the principles of the Ottawa Charter, which calls for enabling environments, participatory governance, and equity in health. We believe that local voices must shape global health agendas, and that sustainable change happens when communities are not just beneficiaries—but leaders. 

    Through every forum, workshop, and partnership, A4HP continues to bridge the gap between global declarations and local action—because healthy communities, empowered by strong civil society, are the foundation of a healthier world.