Casebook for Advocacy in Public Health

Abstract

The Global Charter for Public’s Healthhighlights advocacy as a key function of public health. However, in many countries the study, teaching, and application of advocacy to improve population health remains neglected. Increasing the capacity for advocacy can have many positive effects on population health such as stimulating the development of health policies in public and private sectors or prioritizing public health efforts higher in political agendas globally through public health evidence based research on advocacy. The Casebook on Advocacy in Public Health serves as a tool for national public health associations and other actors to improve their capacity of influence on national public health policies through advocacy efforts.The Casebook establishes what is public health advocacy and emphasizes the importance of advocacy as an essential public health function by bringing together 18 cases of public health advocacy from different corners of the world. It covers a range of public health topics from tackling climate change at a global level to improving the conditions in African prisons with investigative journalism and strategic litigation. Additionally, by drawing on the similarities and differences of the various experiences included in the casebook, key issues such as gender equity, discrimination, and investment in wellbeing and health equity are raised and advocacy is highlighted as an essential public health tool to tackle these issues.Ultimately, the Casebook aims to increase knowledge and the capacity to develop and implement advocacy strategies to improve population health at local, regional, national and international levels, as well as inspire the development of curricula and other training materials to strengthen advocacy efforts by supporting instruction, debate, dialogue and action.