Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Well-being
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ABOUT NDPHS

Background, mission, priorities, strategy, actors and activities

Background

The Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Well-being (NDPHS) is a cooperative effort of eleven governments, the European Commission and eight international organisations. Also referred to as "the Partnership" on this website, the NDPHS provides a forum for concerted action to tackle challenges to health and social well-being in the Northern Dimension area and foremost in North-West Russia.
 
Founded on 27 October 2003 at a ministerial-level meeting in Oslo, Norway, the Partnership works according to the provisions spelled out in the Declaration concerning the establishment of a NDPHS (the Oslo Declaration). This Declaration lays the foundation for the Partnership’s objectives, structure, role and practical functions, main priorities, financing methods and guidelines for future development. Being multinational and multi-stakeholder in its composition, the membership of the NDPHS is comprised of eleven Partner Countries, the European Commission and eight Partner Organisations. Also, a number of Special Participants (as foreseen in the Oslo Declaration) take part in the NDPHS work. 
 
The NDPHS is one of several existing Partnerships established within the Northern Dimension (ND) policy that began in 2000 with the European Council’s adoption of the 1st Northern Dimension Action Plan. From its beginning, when the ND policy was the main external, cross-border framework for the European Union’s relations with North-West Russia and the Baltic Sea and Arctic regions, this policy has aimed at addressing the special regional development challenges of Northern Europe.
 
In accordance with the Political Declaration on the Northern Dimension Policy and the Northern Dimension Policy Framework Document– both endorsed at the ND Summit in November 2006 – from the beginning of 2007 the Northern Dimension policy changed its character to a joint endeavour of four partners, namely that of the European Union, Iceland, Norway and Russia.
 

Factsheet on the NDPHS

For quick access to information about the mission, membership, priorities, structure, activities and achievements of the NDPHS read the NDPHS Factsheet 1/2008 About the NDPHS.
 

Mission and objectives 

The mission of the NDPHS is to promote the sustainable development of the Northern Dimension area by improving peoples’ health and social well-being. The Partnership aims to contribute to this process by intensifying cooperation, assisting the Partners and Participants in capacity building, and by enhancing the extent of coordination between international activities within the Northern Dimension area.
 
In working to achieve these objectives, the Partners focus on increasing political and administrative coherence between the countries in the Northern Dimension area, narrowing their social and economic disparities, and improving peoples’ overall quality of life.
 

Priorities

The Partnership has two main priority fields in which it aims to support cooperation and coordination.
 
The first priority is to reduce the spread of major communicable diseases and prevent life-style related non-communicable diseases. These diseases include HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted infections, cardiovascular diseases, resistance to antibiotics, as well as other major public health problems that arise from the use of illicit drugs and socially distressing conditions.
 
The second priority is to enhance peoples’ levels of social well-being and to promote socially rewarding lifestyles. Here, an emphasis is placed on encouraging proper nutrition, physical exercise, safe sexual behavior, ensuring good social and work environments, as well as supporting alcohol, drug and smoke-free leisure activities. Within this priority field, special attention is placed on youth as the primary target group.
 
Across both priorities, gender and children’s perspectives are taken into account. Equity and social inclusion are treated as central elements in achieving the Partnership’s objectives, for which reason a strong interaction between the health and social sectors is promoted. People with disabilities and indigenous peoples are also recognised as vulnerable groups that have particular needs and therefore require special attention.
 
Among the principal approaches taken, the Partnership supports the reorientation of and greater efficiency within the health and social care systems. Potentials to improve community-based social care and preventive social services are at the forefront of capacity building efforts in this respect.
 

New NDPHS Strategy 

In 2009, the Partnership developed a new NDPHS Strategy, which was subsequently adopted during the 6th Partnership Annual Conference in November 2009. The Strategy, which guides the NDPHS from the year 2010 onwards, addresses the following issues:

• Mid-term vision; (read more)
• Policies, strategies and projects;
• Social well-being facet within the NDPHS;
• Goals, operational targets and indicators; (read more)
• Expert groups;
• Financial matters;
• NDPHS membership/partner status;
• Other.

The adopted overarching goals indicate what the Partnership strives to achieve; either independently or as one of many actors in the ND area. The operational targets are specific, measurable and time-targeted objectives. The adopted set of indicators will serve as a tool for monitoring progress in the implementation of the agreed actions. To ensure that, the health and social well-being related activities in the ND area be implemented in a coordinated and efficient way and involve all relevant actors, the new NDPHS Strategy correlates with the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region.
 

NDPHS contribution to EU BSR Strategy

Following a series of open consultations with various actors in the Baltic Sea Region, the European Commission developed a European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EU BSR Strategy), which was subsequently adopted by the European Council on 29-30 October 2009. The NDPHS actively took part in the process by contributing its views during regional consultation events, as well as by presenting its position paper.


The adopted Strategy addresses four main challenges faced by the region and strives at making it:

• Environmentally sustainable;
• Prosperous;
• Accessible and attractive;
• Safe and secure.

Although, the EU BSR Strategy is an internal EU strategy, the constructive cooperation with non-EU countries is most welcome in order to attain its objectives. As noted by the European Council, “the Northern Dimension framework provides the basis for the external aspects of cooperation in the Baltic Sea region.” There is a need to properly address the issues of public health and social well-being as important cross-cutting factors for the prosperity, security and attractiveness of the Baltic Sea Region. To that end, the NDPHS, following an invitation of the European Commission, took a role of the Lead Partner for the coordination of the health sub-area of Priority Area 12 of the EU Strategy Action Plan.
 

To read more about the EU BSR Strategy and the implementation of its health-related activities by the NDPHS and other stakeholders, and to announce your interest to become involved please visit the EUSBSR section of this website.

 

Actors and structure

In accordance with the Oslo Declaration, NDPHS eligible partners are “the Founding partners, EU Member States and Northern Dimension Partner Countries, the European Commission and other relevant EU Institutions, regional co-operation bodies, international organisations and financing institutions. Eligible participants are interested sub-national administrative entities in the Northern Dimension area. Other countries or organisations associated with the Northern Dimension may become Partners or Participants of the Partnership in accordance with national legislation or statutes and through a procedure to be established by the Committee of Senior Representatives.”

Countries and international organisations that meet the corresponding conditions spelled out above, and are willing, able, and pledge to substantially contribute toward the objectives and aims of the Declaration concerning the establishment of a NDPHS through participation in the NDPHS meetings, projects and other activities, are welcome to apply for a Partner or a Participant status with the NDPHS. When applying, they must adhere to the Rules of procedure for approval of new NDPHS Partners and Participants.

The Partnership operates at several levels, the most important being the Partnership Annual Conference (PAC), the Committee of Senior Representatives (CSR), Expert Groups and the NDPHS Secretariat. See the NDPHS organigram for an overall picture and read more about the role and composition of the above-mentioned bodies on their respective pages.

Annual Work Plan

Annual NDPHS work plans serve as the Partnership’s guidance for moving towards achieving its objectives. They lead the Partners in defining action lines and in specifying activities to be carried out at the international, national, regional and local levels. Every work plan is designed to ensure that all relevant stakeholders are welcome and encouraged to play a role in improving existing health and social conditions by becoming involved in the NDPHS work.

Work plans build on the 2003 NDPHS Oslo Declaration, and from the year 2010 onwards, also on the new NDPHS Strategy adopted in November 2009. The main focus of the work plans is to advance sustainable development in the Northern Dimension area through the improvement of public health and social well–being. The NDPHS Annual Work Plan for 2010 is the first major step to implement NDPHS mid-term vision, spelled out in the new NDPHS Strategy.

 


In accordance with its Work Plan for 2010, during the current year the Partnership strives to implement actions along the following lines:

o Continuing the orientation on policies, strategies and projects

Consistent with its new Strategy, the Partnership shall continue to first and foremost be a forum for development of strategies and policies, and coordination of activities on health and social well-being in the Northern Dimension area. At the same time, it will continue its efforts to facilitate project activities, which are needed in order to provide results when it comes to concrete problems. Projects that complement the development of strategies and policies in the region should bring added value to the work of the NDPHS and keep its work as pragmatic and useful as possible. Also, the Partnership shall take the necessary actions to ensure successful discharging of the Partnership’s role as the Lead Partner for the Health priority sub-area in the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region.

o Strengthening a two-fold approach towards health and social well-being

Consistent with its new Strategy, the Partnership shall scale up its efforts to strengthen the social well-being facet within the NDPHS.

o Implementing the NDPHS goals and mid-term operational targets (OTs), and monitoring the progress in the implementation of the OTs

During its 6th Partnership Annual Conference, the NDPHS adopted goals and, linked to them, operational targets and indicators. They make the core of the NDPHS’ new strategy and are meant to be an effective tool for the Partnership to ensure progress toward its mid-term vision adopted during the same PAC. The Partnership will commence efforts to implement the operational targets with a view to contributing to the achievement of the agreed goals.

o Setting up new and restructuring the existing Expert Groups and their subsequent launching

Following the outcome of the NDPHS evaluation of 2008 and the latter’s follow up work in 2009, the Partnership will adjust its expert-level framework to its new Strategy. Development of Terms of Reference for new/restructured Expert Groups is envisaged. The Expert Groups, which are the pillars of the Partnership, will have the central role in the implementation of the NDPHS operational targets.

o Ensuring coordination of regional efforts to fight trafficking in human beings

The Partnership will continue holding yearly informal meetings to discuss the coordination of the fight against trafficking in human beings within the Northern Dimension area. Apart from the Partners all relevant task forces and international organisations working with this issue will be invited to participate in these meetings. The Nordic Council of Ministers will lead this effort and financially support it.

o Providing adequate funding for the NDPHS and Partnership-relevant activities and projects

In order to meet the objectives of the organisation, the Partnership shall work to ensure adequate funding for activities and relevant projects carried out within its framework. In doing so, the Partners will adhere to “the principle of co-financing from Northern Dimension partners, as well as from international and private financial institutions where appropriate,” consistent with the renewed Northern Dimension Policy Framework Document.

The NDPHS has set up a Partnership’s Coordinating and Financing Mechanism. Elements of this mechanism include, but are not limited to, the NDPHS Project Pipeline and the NDPHS Appropriations Account, which are among the tools that the Partnership will use to finance relevant activities and projects.

 

Past activities

The NDPHS has gained a good momentum over the last years. The progress made is well documented in the yearly progress reports, which take stock of the achievements made, describe and evaluate implementation of the activities foreseen in the respective Work Plan and present final conclusions.

In 2008, the NDPHS underwent a five-year review, which was conducted by an independent consultant (read the NDPHS Evaluation Report for 2003-2008). Based on the evaluation, in 2009 the new NDPHS Strategy was developed and adopted, aimed to keep the Partnership’s activities focused on delivering tangible results in the areas agreed by the Partners.

NDPHS events

To find information about past and upcoming events concerning public health and social well-being in the Northern Dimension area visit calendar section of our website. It is regularly updated by the NDPHS Secretariat and the NDPHS Expert Groups.
 

 

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