24 February 2011
AGE Platform Europe officially signed the EPHA Charter for Health Equity.
Although wealth in Europe has increased in the last decade, its distribution has proven to become increasingly unequal and 80 million European citizens – that is about 16% of the population of the European Union – live in poverty, including one child out of five being born and growing up in economic and social deprivation. The fact is that there are dramatic differences in the health status of people living in Europe, between and within countries – differences closely linked with socio-economic status : in general, the lower the socioeconomic position, the worse the health status. Poverty, social exclusion and discrimination are key factors in explaining poorer levels of health between groups and countries in Europe.
While the issue of Health Inequalities is currently on the agenda of the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Belgian and Spanish Presidencies and the World Health Organization, increasing economic and political pressures put even more burden on socially deprived, most vulnerable and under-served population groups. All the health gains achieved in the recent decennia are thus at risk.
For more information about the Charter, please refer to EPHA’s website:https://www.epha.org/a/4333
And do not hesitate to sign in the Charter by registering on-line:https://my.epha.org/civicrm/event/register?reset=1&id=50
