Health inequalities in Scotland are getting worse. The Scottish Government has an array of policies which suggest its apparent concern, but these have made little or no difference in practice. In the face of this, community groups and civil society organizations have been working hard to raise awareness about the causes of health iniquity and to identify solutions that could make a significant and lasting difference. While doing so, however, often they have been campaigning in isolation from one another.
Concerned about the apparent fragmentation of the vital work that is going on, the People’s Health Movement (PHM) Scotland hosted a People’s Health Assembly on June 10, 2023 at Civic House in Glasgow. One of the main aims of the assembly was to strengthen the growing public health movement by highlighting the important ongoing mobilizations.
Among those present at the assembly, four keynote speakers had the task of underlining the most important trends, but also dangers, in global health and health activism. David Legge from the People’s Health Movement spoke on the importance of global campaigning for health. Kat Smith, Professor of Public Health Policy at the University of Strathclyde, elaborated on how policies impact public health and who influences them. “We need to think about who is influencing policy and how… We don’t really understand how these large scale actors, [e.g. British American Tobacco] are trying to influence policies that widen health inequalities,” she said.
Stephen Reicher, professor of social psychology at the University of St Andrews, spoke about successful strategies for social mobilization. He underlined the fact that when it comes to mobilizing strategies, people’s movements can even learn from their enemies. “They create a narrative of where [the problem] came from, they provide a [questionable] solution, and exemplify it vividly with concrete images,” Reicher said.
Kirsty MacKay, photographer and filmmaker, reflected on the importance of creative ways of describing how people experience poor health and what they see as the solutions. The speakers were joined by over 40 people representing 20 different organizations.
During a set of morning workshops, participants considered how the different determinants of health in Scotland could be improved. The workshops also showcased the current situation, and prompted activists to create connections and synergy between themselves. Among other things, they covered topics such as Political and Economic System Alternatives, Right to a Healthy Environment, Workers United for Change, Sustainable Food Places, Dismantling Racism, and A Just Healthcare System and Ending Violence against Women. In the afternoon, activists used the space to strengthen connections, discussing how messaging about the effects of different policies could be improved, and what short and long-term strategies for campaigning are needed.
A dominant theme that emerged throughout the day was the articulation of the problem of health inequalities. Too often there is a focus on data and statistics, accompanied by a call for more evidence, when the fundamental causes of poor health have been known for years. All the speakers spoke about the need for narratives and storytelling which connect to both the general public and to politicians. In addition to that, they concluded, there are ways of motivating people to be part of social movements which have not been sufficiently translated into action. As Stephen Reicher pointed out, people become involved in collective action when they feel the burden of inequity and a sense of shared identity by being involved, when there is a moral imperative, and when there is efficacy in actions.
PHM Scotland views this assembly as a step towards a more united and inspired movement of frontline organizations providing support to campaigning activists, trade unionists and academics. Policy and funding decisions are still being made every day which will have a negative impact on health in Scotland. “We know from the past that these need to be called out as soon as possible, and we need an effective way of addressing them. Join us now to fight us for health justice in Scotland,” concluded the organizers after the assembly.
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