Health Equity: 01/17/12

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

[EQ] The World Economic Situation and Prospects 2012 (WESP) - UN DESA report

The World Economic Situation and Prospects 2012 (WESP)

UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)– New York, January 17 2012

Available online at: http://bit.ly/wJQQXQ

“…..Countries throughout the world will experience an economic slowdown this year as the sovereign debt crisis in Europe continues to unfold, according to a United Nations report launched today that also warns that governments must urgently address high unemployment rates, particularly among youth.

The report gives a detailed picture on seven geographical regions and forecasts that growth rates for the next two years will slow down in most of them, with the exception of the African continent, which will continue to enjoy growth due to stable commodity prices and foreign investment.

The report points to the European sovereign debt crisis that erupted in Greece last May as a major shock to the global economy, whose multiple negative effects will continue to reverberate around the world.

“Failure of policymakers, especially those in Europe and the United States, to address the jobs crisis and prevent sovereign debt distress and financial sector fragility from escalating poses the most acute risk for the global economy in the outlook for 2012-2013,” the report states.

The report estimates that growth in the European Union (EU) is expected to be only 0.7 per cent in 2012, substantially lower than the 1.6 per cent growth registered last year. In addition, unemployment throughout the continent will remain near 10 per cent in the euro area, having changed very little since September 2009.

Africa is expected to continue to grow, defying the global trend. The continent is forecast to see an increase in its overall growth from 2.7 per cent in 2011 to 5 per cent in 2012 and 5.1 per cent in 2013. This growth will mainly be driven by relatively strong commodity prices, solid external capital inflows and continued demand and investment from Asia.

However, growth will vary greatly among countries in the continent due to military conflicts, corruption, lack of infrastructure and severe drought in certain areas. The report also warns that unemployment and poverty remain major problems and sources of instability, which have already led to political unrest in North Africa.

South Africa is expected to have the strongest economic growth in 2012, supported by growing demand from Asia, continued fiscal stimulus measures and an increase in consumption driven by rising wages.

The economic picture in the Arab World will continue to be subject of high uncertainty due to the political transition and civil protests brought by the Arab Spring. Regional growth is forecast to decline from 6.6 per cent to 3.7 per cent as violent clashes hampered economic activity in several Arab countries. Social unrest also affected trade and tourism revenues, particularly in Lebanon.

However, the report states that generous social spending measures implemented in 2011 by Arab governments such as Saudi Arabia as a way to alleviate popular protests helped boost economic growth and the impact of these measures will continue to be felt throughout 2012.

As with Europe and Africa, unemployment remains a key problem in the region. Despite extremely low female participation rates, unemployment rates in the region are among the highest in the world, especially among the educated youth, and the report warns that leaving unemployment unaddressed represents a major risk to stability in the region.

In East Asia growth is projected to decline to 6.9 per cent in both 2012 and 2013. China, the biggest economy in the region, is also expected to slow down from 9.3 per cent to 8.7 per cent growth in 2012. A major deceleration from China, however, would represent a more pronounced slowdown for the rest of the region.

The South Asian and Latin American and Caribbean regions remain particularly susceptible to the future of developed economies as both the EU and the US are key export markets as well as sources of tourism revenue.

For Latin America, a slowdown in China would also adversely affect the region as it is a major buyer of its commodities and a key investor in South America…..”

“………the report discusses several policy directions which could avoid a double-dip recession, including: optimal design of fiscal policies to stimulate more direct job creation and investment in infrastructure, energy efficiency and sustainable energy supply, and food security; stronger financial safety nets; better coordination between fiscal and monetary policies; and the provision of sufficient support to developing countries in addressing the fallout from the crisis and the coordination of policy measures at the international level…..”

Also available:

Executive Summary available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish

Global press releases: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish

Policy Brief 36: Can a protracted slowdown be avoided?

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[EQ] The judgement process in evidence-based medicine and health technology assessment

The judgment process in evidence-based medicine and health technology assessment

Michael P Kelly a,b and Tessa A Moore c

A The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, (NICE), London, UK.

B General Practice and Primary Care Research Unit, Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge.

C Head of School Effectiveness, Education, Children's and Cultural Services, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.

Social Theory & Health (2012) 10, 1–19. doi:10.1057/sth.2011.21; December 2011

Available online at: http://bit.ly/yiBOxB

“….This article describes the judgements used to interpret evidence in evidence-based medicine (EBM) and health technology assessment (HTA).
It outlines the methods and processes of EBM and HTA. Respectively, EBM and HTA are approaches to medical clinical decision making and efficient allocation of scarce health resources.

At the heart of both is a concern to review and synthesise evidence, especially evidence derived from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of clinical effectiveness. The driver of the approach of both is a desire to eliminate, or at least reduce, bias.

The hierarchy of evidence, which is used as an indicator of the likelihood of bias, features heavily in the process and methods of EBM and HTA. The epistemological underpinnings of EBM and HTA are explored with particular reference to the distinction between rationalism and empiricism, developed by the philosopher David Hume and elaborated by Immanuel Kant in the Critique of Pure Reason.

The importance of Humian and Kantian principles for understanding the projects of EBM and HTA is considered and the ways in which decisions are made in both, within a judgemental framework originally outlined by Kant, are explored…..”

“….The current article adds to that thinking by suggesting that certain philosophical ideas can help to articulate or describe the judgemental and interpretive processes involved.
What this article has not considered, and which remain important areas for consideration, are the discursive and rhetorical devices used by the actors involved, the group dynamics and the way they overlay the decision-making processes…..”

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[EQ] Public-private engagement for diet and health: addressing the governance gap

Nutrition and Business - How to engage?

United Nations Standing Committee on Nutrition UNSCN, 2011

Available online PDF [107p.] at: http://bit.ly/wVyqnN

CONTENTS

Editorial Denise Costa Coitinho Delmuè

Public-private engagement for diet and health: addressing the governance gap. By Corinna Hawkes & Kent Buse

“…..Core activities of public-private healthy eating initiatives

1. Health promotion and communication campaigns (e.g., information leaflets and post-ers)

2. Diet and nutrition education in formal and informal learning venues (e.g., building cooking skills)

3. Communicating information on food products (e.g., nutrition labelling, and “healthy food” logos )

4. Controlling advertising and marketing of food products (e.g., through advertising codes on marketing)

5. Increasing or decreasing access to food products (e.g., fruits, vegetables, vending ma-chines)

6. Conducting or supporting research (e.g., on development of novel foods)

7. Developing or reformulating food products (e.g., reducing salt)

8. Developing recommendations, guidelines, advice and strategies for governments and industry (e.g., government forum that includes the food industry)

9. Encouraging private sector action in general, such as providing a forum for commit-ments (e.g., “Platforms”)

10. Funding for above activities connected to healthy eating….”

FEATURES

The accountability of public-private partnerships with food, beverage and quick-serve restaurant companies to address global hunger and the double burden of malnutrition.

The potential of public-private-civil society partnerships in humanitarian emergencies: an NGO perspective drawing from emergency programming in
Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Hybrid public-private delivery of preventative lipid-based nutrient supplement products: key challenges, opportunities and players in an emerging product space.

Private-public partnerships drive one solution to vitamin and mineral deficiencies: Fortify West Africa

Social marketing in public-private partnerships as a tool for scaling up nutrition: a case study from Tanzania.

Governments should govern, and corporations should follow the rules.

Food and beverage transnational corporations and nutrition policy.

RESEARCH REPORT

A qualitative study of UNSCN Steering Committee and Working Group facilitators views on engagement with the private industry

EXAMPLES OF ENGAGEMENT FRAMEWORKS

UNSCN private sector engagement policy

IUNS private sector engagement policy

SLMA Guidelines for health and nutrition related endorsement of branded commercial products
IBFAN’s funding policy .

IAP guidelines on conference organization

Developing more effective UN-business partnerships.

The human right to adequate food: reflections on the engagement with the private sector.

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