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Joint Meeting on Social Dialogue in Health Services:
Institutions, Capacity and Effectiveness
Geneva 21-25 October 2002
Background
Concern about public health and the increasing cost of health care have
for many years now made this sector one of the most debated political
issues in many countries. The vital role of the social partners, the State,
employers' and workers' organizations and of social dialogue among them
in this context has only been recognized recently. There is now wide recognition
of the need for social dialogue in advancing and sustaining reform processes
in many areas of the health sector and hence improving health care and
the impact on public health. However, with regard to health services,
the institutions and the capacity for social dialogue still need to be
strengthened.
 Purpose
The purpose of the Meeting was to exchange views on new structures and
approaches in health services and how they affect the capacity and effectiveness
of the social partners in social dialogue. The Meeting also identified
a framework for how social dialogue could be strengthened, using a report
prepared by the Office (pdf, 438k) as a basis for its discussions.
Furthermore, the Meeting adopted conclusions
(pdf, 59k) that included practical guidance for the strengthening of social
dialogue and proposals for action by governments, by employers' and workers'
organizations at the national level and by the ILO. The meeting also adopted
a resolution (pdf, 27k) concerning health care
as a basic human right. 
The Note on the Proceedings (pdf, 291k)
is also available online..
Participation
The Meeting was attended by government representatives of 29 countries
as well as eight Employer representatives and 25 Worker representatives.
In addition, observers from World Health Organization and several international
non-governmental organizations were present.
Panel discussions
A roundtable in two parts was held on 24 October 2002. The subjects of
the roundtable referred to workplace violence in the health sector. Participants
and outside speakers discussed the dimensions of the problem and strategies
for addressing it.
Ms Christiane Wiskow,
Specialist, Health Sector
International Labour Office, 4 route des Morillons,
CH-1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland
Tel. +41 22 799 6123; Fax. +41 22 799 7046
e-mail: g2sector@ilo.org or e-mail:
sector@ilo.org
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