Kampala Declaration on cooperation and solidarity for health equity within and beyond aid

Text of the Declaration

Across the world, health equity is denied, and development assistance for health – “aid” – often reinforces the power imbalances that underlie health inequities. The priorities of Northern donors dictate the aid agenda, implemented by NGOs and Southern ‘partners’ they fund. These priorities often clash with the needs and concerns of communities, governments and civil society in many countries around the world.

The aid space is dominated by powerful interests, while the voices of those most affected by health inequity are regularly tokenised or excluded from the conversation. Many actors within the sector – even among communities and civil society – do not question the underlying premise and structures of health aid. Their own ideas and world views have been shaped by, and for, aid and the industry that supports it. Questioning aid poses challenges to the professions, livelihoods and sources of power for those who work within the sector.

Furthermore, whilst health aid is important in some situations, on its own aid can never lead to a world where all people can live healthy lives. To do so, we must tackle the underlying root causes that create and perpetuate poor health, including unfair trade agreements, tax injustice, the climate crisis, the weakness of existing guidance on health assistance, the unfettered exploitation and extraction of natural resources, under-resourced health systems, and the politico-economic incentives that reinforce those disease-producing forces. These social, commercial, economic and political determinants of health have been tolerated or ignored by aid, thereby reinforcing the health inequities that aid is meant to resolve.

We believe that collective social action in solidarity as one global community, working together to address the root causes of our struggle for health, can transform aid into an equitable means of ensuring health rights. This means acting out of compassion in the pursuit of justice, and caring, listening and helping each other in a way that promotes connectedness and equity throughout the world.

Through the Kampala Initiative, we commit to expose, explore, challenge and transform health aid through dialogue, advocacy, activism and action. We commit to build cooperation and solidarity for health, within and beyond the practice of aid, to build a future where health justice and equity are realised, and aid is no longer a necessity.

Specifically we will:

• Advance a critical analysis of aid and challenge its misuse;
• Challenge the power dynamics at the heart of aid structures;
• Acknowledge and act upon the root causes of poor health, never pretending that aid is the solution;
• Challenge damaging narratives of aid and charity where they exist;
• Correct damaging power dynamics where they exist within our own organisations;
• Collaborate in solidarity as partners in the Global South and North, to ensure that international health finance is grounded in social justice rather than neo-colonial ideas and practices.

Kampala/Geneva, 27 January 2020

• Kampala Declaration (English, PDF): KI basics – Declaration
• Kampala Declaration (German, PDF): KI basics – Declaration german
  Thanks to BUKO Pharma Kampagne for this translation!
• Kampala Declaration (Spanish, PDF): KI basics – Declaration spanish
  Thanks to the Federation of Medicus Mundi Spain for this translation!
  …further translations are welcome.

Institutional endorsements

1. Abubuwa Societal Development Initiatives, Nigeria
2. ACADI Cameroon
3. Africa Foundation for Community Department (AFCOD-UGANDA)
4. African Centre for Global Health and Social Transformation (ACHEST)
5. African Coalition on Green Growth
6. African Platform for Migration and Inclusion in Health (APMIH)
7. Afrihealth Optonet Association, Nigeria
8. Agapewo Ministry Uganda
9. Ageing Nepal
10. Amel Association International
11. Approche Participative Développement et Santé de Proximité (APDSP)
12. ARPAN, India
13. Asociacion Colombiana De Educacion Al Consumidor
14. Associação Coalizão da Juventude Moçambicana
15. Association pour l’Integration et le Developpement Durable au Burundi
16. ATHAANG, Pune, India
17. Blood patients protection council Kerala, India
18. BUKO Pharma-Kampagne
19. CEHURD – Center for Health Human Rights & Development, Uganda
20. Centre for Community Empowerment and Sustainable Development (CESDEV)
21. Centre for Health Science and Law (Canada)
22. Centre for Sustainable Access to Health in Africa
23. Child Watch Tanzania
24. City & Hamlet Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society, Nigeria
25. Coalition des OSC du Bénin pour la Couverture Universelle en Santé
26. Coalition for Health Promotion and Social Development (HEPS– Uganda)
27. Connected Advocacy for Empowerment and Youth Development Initiative, Nigeria
28. Country Minders for Peoples Development (CMPD), Malawi
29. Dr Uzo Adirieje Foundation (DUZAFOUND), Nigeria
30. Emonyo Yefwe International, Kenya
31. Foundation for Integrated Rural Development (FIRD) , Uganda
32. German Institute for Medical Mission (Difäm e.V.)
33. Global Health Advocates France / Action Santé Mondiale
34. Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (GI-ESCR)
35. Global Justice Now
36. Global Participe
37. Golden Change For Concerned Youth Forum
38. Health Alliance International
39. Health Poverty Action, UK
40. Human Rights Research Documentation Center (HURIC), Uganda
41. Indigenous Peoples Global Forum for Sustainable Development (IPFforSD)
42. Initiative for good governance and transparency in Tanzania
43. Innovations for Development (I4DEV)
44. Innovative Alliance for Public Health (IAPH)
45. Justice is Global, USA
46. Kamukunji Paralegal Trust (KAPLET)
47. Kasalika Community Development Organization, Malawi
48. Let There Be Light International
49. LiveWell Initiative LWI, Nigeria
50. MauriSanté
51. Medical Impact
52. medico international, Germany
53. Medicus Mundi International – Network Health for All (MMI)
54. Medicus Mundi Spain
55. Medicus Mundi Switzerland
56. MUMBO international
57. Muslim Family Counselling Services Ghana
58. Nigeria Universal Health Coverage Actions Network (NUHCAN)
59. Nigerian Women Agro Allied Farmers
60. Our Lady of Perpetual Help Initiative, Nigeria
61. Partners In Health
62. Peace Foundation, Pakistan
63. People’s Health Movement (PHM)
64. People’s Health Movement Canada/Mouvement populaire pour la santé au Canada
65. People’s Health Movement Kenya
66. People’s Health Movement Scotland
67. People’s Health Movement Uganda
68. People’s Health Movement UK
69. People’s Health Movement USA
70. plan:g – partnership for global health
71. Policies for Equitable Access to Health (PEAH)
72. Public Health International Consulting Center (PHICC), Cameroon
73. IMAAP Projects, Nigeria
74. Public Health Organization (PHOrg), DRC
75. Rose Academies
76. Rwenzori Center for Research and Advocacy Uganda
77. SHAPE (Support Heal and Purpose to Elevate), Kenya
78. Society for Conservation and Sustainability of Energy and Environment in Nigeria (SOCSEEN)
79. Southern Africa Climate Change Coalition
80. Southern and Eastern Africa Trade Information and Negotiations Institute (SEATINI), Uganda
81. STOPAIDS
82. Sukaar welfare organization Pakistan
83. The People’s Fund for Global Health and Development
84. Ukana West 2 Community Based Health Initiative, Nigeria
85. Union des Amis Socio Culturels d’Action en Developpement (UNASCAD), Haiti
86. Viva Salud
87. Volunteers Welfare for Community Based Care of Zambia (VOWAZA)
88. WASH-Net Sierra Leone
89. Wemos
90. West African Academy of Public Health (WAAPH), Nigeria
91. Wote Youth Development Projects, Kenya
92. Wun Anei Development Association WADA South Sudan
93. Youth and Environment Vision
94. YADNET UGANDA (Youth Advocacy and Development Network)
95. Zimbabwe Climate Change Coalition

List in alphabetic order. Last update in January 2023

By signing the Kampala Declaration, we confirm our commitment to advancing cooperation and solidarity within and beyond aid, alongside and as part of the Kampala Initiative. There is no specific obligation associated with signing the Declaration.

Individual Endorsements

1. Ahmad Nejatian, Nurse, Health Policy Activist
2. Akaninyene Obot
3. Alise Abadie
4. Alison Rosamund Katz
5. Amona Médard, Congo Brazzaville
6. Angelo Stefanini, Public Health Physician
7. Arnold Ikedichi Okpani, Public health worker and researcher, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
8. Ashina Mtsumi
9. Ausi Kibowa, Programme Assistant, SEATINI
10. Ayushmita Hazarika-Bourne
11. Babatunde Fakunle
12. Baijayanta Mukhopadhyay
13. Barbara Fienieg, Global health advocate, Wemos
14. Barbra Nabukeera Uganda
15. Benjamin Mulindwa, Project Planning and Management , Agapewo Ministry Uganda, Administrator, Jinja
16. Beverly Longid, Global Coordinator, International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation
17. Bjorg Palsdottir, CEO of the Training for Health Equity Network: THEnet
18. Blair Musasizi, Chief Executive Officer, AFCOD-UGANDA
19. Bonnie Kaiser, Associate Professor, Anthropology and Global Health, UCSD, USA
20. Carlos Mediano, President Medicus Mundi International
21. Caroline Aruho, Advocacy and Networking officer, HEPS-Uganda
22. Christiane Boecker, Guinea
23. Christy Braham
24. Clea Gibson, UK
25. Colleen Daniels, CD Global Consulting
26. Dada Dadas, ATHAANG, Pune
27. Damian Lima
28. Daniel Guerrero León
29. Danny Gotto, Executive Director Innovations for Development, Kampala Uganda
30. David Oginga Makori
31. Denis Bukenya, Coordinator HURIC and PHM Uganda
32. Derrick Aaron Nsibirwa, Social Worker, Rresearch Oficer, CEHURD, Uganda
33. Duchi Fejokwu, IMAAP Projects
34. Elizabeth Muchoki
35. Emmanuel Nembundah Tangumonkem, Executive President ACADI Cameroon; Contact Person PHM Cameroon
36. Enock Musungwini, Public Health Consultant and Advisor, Harare, Zimbabwe
37. Esperanza Ceron-Villaquiran
38. Esther Kimani
39. Francis Ohanyido, Development Expert, President WAAPH, Abuja
40. Frank Gramsen Kizza
41. Frederik Federspiel
42. Gift Chinyama Mwale
43. Giorgio Alberto Franyuti
44. Gisela Schneider, Dr med, Director Difäm e.V.
45. Hamimu Masudi, Public Policy and Communication Analyst, Uganda
46. Harriet Adong, Executive Director FIRD, Uganda
47. Harrison Mwima, Health Activist, Zambia
48. Harry Coleman
49. Hazel Brearley, UK
50. Ian Smith
51. Ibrahim Umar
52. Ikwo Oka, Social Entrepreneur, Lagos, Nigeria
53. Jennifer Lentfer
54. Jesse Bump, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston USA
55. Jessica Aiken
56. Jonathan Kassibu
57. Josephine McAllister
58. Jostas Mwebembezi (MPH), Executive Director Rwenzori Center for Research and Advocacy
59. Joviah Gonza
60. Julia E Robinson
61. Justice Zvaita, SACC Coalition
62. Kareem Karassery
63. Katie Robjent
64. Kiiza Africa, SEATINI
65. Kuldip Chand, Director ARPAN V&PO Dobhetta Tehsil Nangal Distt. Rupnagar Punjab
66. Labila Sumayah Musoke, Human rights lawyer, Women’s health & justice initiative, Reproductive justice, Uganda
67. Lance Lyle Louskieter, PhD Candidate and Researcher, Health Policy and Systems Research Division, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa
68. Linda Shouro, PHM Africa Outreach Coordinator
69. Lizzy Igbine
70. Luke Wanjala Kapchanga
71. Marco Angelo, Medical Doctor, MSc in Global Health
72. Marie Solange Ngoueko, Executive Director of Public Health International Consulting Center, Cameroon
73. Martin Drewry, CEO of Health Poverty Action & member of People’s Health Movement (PHM)
74. Maryam Bibi Rumaney, www.mbrumaney.co, South Africa
75. Matthias Wittrock
76. Michael Wakelyn-Green
77. Michael Ssemakula, Development Economist, HURIC
78. Mohammed Bun Bida, Programmes Director, Muslim Family Counselling Services, Ghana
79. Monika Peruffo, Belgium
80. Myria Koutsoumpa, Global health advocate, Wemos
81. Oupa Montsioa, Regional Health Manager
82. Patrick Yowasi Kadama, ACHEST
83. Peter Diing Ngong, Aweil (NBGs)
84. Peter Owiti, Health activist, Kenya
85. Pol de Vos, Belgium
86. Ravi Ram, Health systems evaluator, Nairobi, Kenya
87. Sara (Meg) Davis, Global Health Centre, Graduate Institute, Geneva
88. Sarah Cowen-Rivers
89. Sarah M Baird
90. Serge Laurent Djacpou Djomo
91. Siomha Cunniffe, Development and Network Manager
92. Spéro Hector Ackey
93. Sunit Bagree, UK
94. Tess Wolfenden, UK
95. Thomas Schwarz, Executive Secretary, MMI Network
96. Tumainiel Mangi
97. Uzodinma Adirieje, CEO/National Coordinator, Afrihealth Optonet Association (CSOs Network)
98. Williams Ngwakwe
99. Wilson Damien Asibu, Health Advocate, Executive Director, Country Minders for Peoples Development, Malawi

List in alphabetic order. Last update in January 2023

By signing the Kampala Declaration, we confirm our commitment to advancing cooperation and solidarity within and beyond aid, alongside and as part of the Kampala Initiative. There is no specific obligation associated with signing the Declaration.

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An online form for endorsing the Kampala Declaration is available here.

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