IPHU Course for East and South Africa (ESA) region in Nairobi, Kenya, coming up in November

The International People’s Health University (IPHU) of the People’s Health Movement (PHM) Jointly with its Thematic Group on Equitable Health Systems announce “The Struggle for Health” a six-day short training course for young health activists in the East and South Africa (ESA) region from 27th November to 2nd December 2023 in Nairobi, Kenya

Objectives
The IPHU short courses enable younger health activists to make new connections, share experiences, and study together. They aim to strengthen the PHM’s growing activism. PHM has trained thousands of young activists from around the world over the past few years through the IPHU and built perspectives.

Who is the course planned for?

• Young health activists and practitioners working on health, gender, and human rights, particularly those involved or wish to be involved in the People’s Health Movement (PHM) in the East and South Africa (ESA) region.
• Applicants should have a university degree or equivalent. ▪ Priority, with respect to enrolment, will be given to:
  - Younger people motivated to get involved in PHM and have endorsed the People’s Charter for Health
  - Primary health care and public health practitioners
  - People with a track record as health activists within the PHM, in particular, people who have been actively involved in organizations that are part of PHM.
  ▪ A total of 30-40 participants is expected.
  ▪ The enrolment policy aims to achieve:
  - geographical mix
  - gender balance
  - diversity of involvements: community-based organizations, health care agencies, NGOs, universities, government officials, etc.
  - diversity of skills, records of activism, interests, experience, and educational backgrounds.

Curriculum
The curriculum covers:

• The struggle for health, PHM history, and organized health activism: challenges, strategy and practice, achievements and new directions
• Working with communities and with grassroots people’s organizations
• Social determinants of health: poverty, oppression, and hierarchy; alienation and exclusion; racism, sexism, and materialism
• Comprehensive primary health care: achievements, challenges, lessons, and new directions
• The political economy of health: imperialism and globalization, the international financial institutions and the UN system; local issues and global pressures
• Health system strengthening; the politics of health policy
• The right to health: principles, achievements, and new directions
• Research: part of the problem and part of the solution
• Global health governance
• Diversity, working across differences, and Intersectionality
• Gender, justice, and health.

Approach to learning
 

• Start with the struggle for health
• Teach and learn in partnership
• Knowledge is imbued with purpose ▪ New ideas must be used
• Activism is an ethical commitment
• Learn new ways of being (as well as new facts and theories)
• Refresh, enquire, research
• Nurture leadership: judgment which inspires confidence; integrity which creates trust and the courage to take risks ▪ Learn to listen to learn; learn to teach; teach to learn
• Steer our own learning; grow the skills and habits of lifelong learning
  ▪ Build our community of activists
  ▪ Stay with the struggle for health

The course will involve pre-reading & exercises, lectures, small group discussions, debates, field visits, workshops, and follow-up study. Resource materials will take the form of soft/hard copy readings, lecture notes, and websites.

Faculty
Faculty members (i.e., trainers) will be a mix between high-profile academic personnel and health activists of sound experience, in addition to a number of PHM resource persons from the region as well as PHM-Global.

Language
The course will be taught in English.

Fees & Scholarships
Registration*                   20 USD
Tuition**                          Free
Accommodation***       350 USD

* Mandatory - Cover all training materials; lunch and coffee breaks during the training days.
** Supported by the PHM-IPHU for all participants.
*** Fixed rate for subsidized activists’ accommodation in shared, basic facilities (bed, breakfast, and dinner).

- PHM-IPHU is committed to reducing the financial barriers to attending IPHU. A limited number of scholarships for travel and/or accommodation will be available for qualified applicants.
- In case of travel scholarships provided for qualified international participants, flight tickets will be booked by the PHM Global Secretariat upon a written confirmation by the participant on the itinerary provided. Most flight tickets will be non-refundable; accordingly, participants will be asked to pay back the cost of their tickets if they did not show up. This policy is only to ensure that we are using our limited resources efficiently.
- Registration fees are mandatory for all participants.
- Activists’ accommodation will be reserved in shared, basic facilities.
- PHM-IPHU scholarships do not cover visa fees, airport tax & travel insurance (if applicable), personal living expenses,
per diems, or local transportation in the home country.
- Applicants should seek such support from sponsors in their own countries in the first instance.

Venue
▪ The course will be held in Nairobi, Kenya.

Accommodation
▪ Activists’ accommodation in shared, basic facilities will be reserved from 26th of November till the night of 2nd of December, 2023.
▪ Any change in the accommodation plans will be announced. Application and Deadline
▪ Apply online by filling in the Online Application Form in English at: https://forms.gle/stapM6MwpPoUMwgT6 ▪ Deadline for receiving applications: 27 October 2023
▪ All applicants will be advised of the outcome of their application.
Contacts
▪ For inquiries please contact the IPHU-Nairobi Organizing Team at: [email protected] 

About
The People’s Health Movement (PHM) is a global movement that has its roots deep in the grassroots people’s movements and owes its genesis to many health networks and activists who have been concerned by the growing inequities in health over the last 25 years. The PHM calls for a revitalization of the principles of the Alma-Ata Declaration, which promised Health for All by the year 2000, and a complete revision of international and domestic policy that has shown to negatively impact health status and systems. The People’s Health Movement is coordinated by a global secretariat and is supported by a steering council.
Contact: [email protected]   Web: phmovement.org 

The International People’s Health University (IPHU) is one of the major programs of the People’s Health Movement (PHM). IPHU is a global university providing short courses and other resources for health activists. Courses are of a high academic standard and are documented for academic credit from established universities. IPHU short courses enable younger health activists to make new connections, share experiences, and study together. IPHU short courses strengthen the global network of people’s health activists.