The Value Added of the United Nations General Assembly High–Level Political Declaration on Antimicrobial Resistance
In September 2016, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York held a dedicated meeting to muster strong political commitment for an effective global response to the problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). As a result, a High-Level Political Declaration on Antimicrobial Resistance was adopted.
G77 and China highlights priorities for tackling AMR
Growing impetus to making AMR an integral issue in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
Antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea crisis: new drugs needed
State of discussion on AMR action, two years after the WHA Global Plan
Civil society and South Centre call for urgent actions to tackle AMR and ensure access and new innovation models
Access to Hepatitis C Treatment: A Global Problem
“Viral hepatitis is an international public health challenge, comparable to other major communicable diseases, including HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. Despite the significant burden it places on communities across all global regions, hepatitis has been largely ignored as a health and development priority until recently”. – WHO, Global Health Sector strategy on viral Hepatitis 2016-2021: Towards ending viral hepatitis
Implementing Farmers’ Rights Relating to Seeds
The concept of Farmers’ Rights recognized the role of farmers as custodians of biodiversity and helped to draw attention to the need to preserve practices that are essential for sustainable agriculture. This paper examines one particular aspect of such rights, perhaps the most controversial. It deals with the component of farmers’ rights referring to the use, exchange and sale of farm-saved seeds. Although that concept was initially introduced in 1989 with the aim of balancing the rights of farmers as breeders and of commercial plant breeders, a specific reference to the rights relating to seeds was only introduced upon the conclusion of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) in 2001.
Highlights of the WHO Executive Board: 140th Session
The World Health Assembly (WHA), the highest body of the World Health Organization, will be meeting from 22-31 May 2017.
Earlier in January, the Executive Board of the WHO met and discussed on various strategic issues that will be carried forward to the WHA.
In this light, the South Centre has prepared a timely summary report in the form of a policy brief of the discussions that took place at the EB, to assist delegates and other stakeholders in their preparation for the discussions in the WHA.
Mitigating the Regulatory Constraints Imposed by Intellectual Property Rules under Free Trade Agreements
IP provisions in FTAs may have implications on a wide range of public policy areas. A vast academic literature has addressed the “flexibilities” available under the TRIPS Agreement and the negative impact of FTAs in relation to access to medicines. (more…)
Growing Coalition to Intensify Efforts to Address Global Antimicrobial Resistance
The South Centre supports increased global and national level advocacy for policy change and action to prevent the post-antibiotic era from becoming a bleak reality. This effort is being strengthened with the recent addition of five leading environmental and public health organizations to the Antibiotic Resistance Coalition (ARC). The ARC is an independent coalition of members from six continents working in health, agriculture, consumer, and development sectors. (more…)
South Centre Statement to the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board
The following is the statement delivered by the South Centre to the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board on 7 December 2016 in Geneva .
