The Collectif Santé Mondiale (Global Health Collective) has published a document containing recommendations for the government, calling on France to adopt an ambitious health response plan and participate in the global effort to tackle the COVID-19 crisis. The document highlights the financial needs and emphasizes the principles of action to be followed, in particular the need to adopt an approach based on human rights and gender.
Equipop co-authored a document of recommendations addressed to the government entitled : " For a fair and appropriate French response to the Covid-19 pandemic – Recommendations from the Global Health Collective " (click to access the full 18-page document, in PDF format, 860 KB).
This document was drafted with our partners at Collectif Santé Mondiale, a coalition of 10 associations (Action Against Hunger, Action Santé Mondiale, Equipop, Médecins du Monde, One, Oxfam France, Le Planning familial, Sidaction, Solidarité Sida, Solthis). Founded in 2015, this collective aims to support France in its health-related development policies. It advocates for France to increase its participation in global efforts by increasing official development assistance allocated to health.
The global health crisis we are facing highlights and exacerbates systemic and geographic inequalities in access to healthcare and is already having significant socioeconomic impacts. In this context, gender inequalities are exacerbated. Women are particularly affected, especially as healthcare professionals; they are more exposed to domestic violence, and their sexual and reproductive rights are also threatened.
France must provide an ambitious, appropriate, and fair financial and operational response.
Given the scale of the crisis and the many challenges it presents, the Global Health Collective calls on France to provide an ambitious, appropriate, and fair financial and operational response, in line with the principles set out in its development frameworks and strategies.
This includes ensuring that:
- Coordinate the emergency response with the necessary continuity of care and the strengthening of health and social protection systems.
- Adopt a human rights and gender-based approach.
- Leave no one behind.
- Co-develop responses with CSOs (civil society organizations) and communities.
Since 2019, France has been committed to making the fight against global inequalities, the promotion of human rights, and feminist diplomacy the guiding principles of its foreign policy and development aid. This commitment is one of the added values of the French approach and must be reflected in concrete terms in the direction and implementation of France's global response to the pandemic.
France will be particularly scrutinized on these issues by feminist associations, which are actively engaged on a daily basis and are ready to work with the government to develop responses to the crisis.
