Sustainable development goal 17 focuses on “partnerships for the goals” and underscores the need to: “strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.” SDG 17 promotes cross-sector and cross-country collaboration in pursuit of all SDGs by the year 2030.
As the IWG Board and Organizational Development Committee rallied to determine the strategic goals of this collaborative, we found that SDG 17 is a valuable goal to align ourselves with.
As emerging global health leaders, we bring a unique perspective as co-creators of knowledge production and dissemination, however the voices of early career professionals in global health are largely lacking in high-level discussions and decision-making. Thus, the IWG hopes to be a global sounding board and community of action, meant to reflect back and act on the thoughts, perspectives, and ideas of emerging global health leaders.
The IWG’s efforts are centered on a 3-pillar structure, focusing on advocacy, capacity strengthening, and knowledge generation and sharing.
Knowledge Generation and Sharing: The Knowledge Generation and Sharing pillar is focused on creating and disseminating knowledge and ideas related to health systems strengthening, leadership and governance, non-communicable diseases, and climate and planetary health. Through member-led and member-initiated activities, the IWG aims to generate new insights and perspectives on these issues, as well as share existing knowledge with the broader community. This includes conducting and sharing research, creating and sharing educational resources and tools, and facilitating discussions and collaborations among members and partners. By promoting continuous learning and development, the IWG hopes to foster a community of empowered and informed health professionals who can drive positive change in their local communities and beyond.
Advocacy: Advocacy pillar is focused on empowering IWG members to be advocates for health systems strengthening on a global scale. Through member-led initiatives, the IWG aims to raise public awareness and promote social, community, and systems changes around specific health goals and areas. This involves engaging communities, policymakers, and other stakeholders to re-imagine and prioritize health systems strengthening on the global health agenda, and to hold systems accountable. The advocacy pillar also emphasizes the importance of centering the voices of those previously silenced in health systems dialogues and actions, with a strong focus on building strong cross-boundary relationships with communities.
Capacity Strengthening: The Capacity Strengthening pillar of the IWG aims to provide opportunities and resources for members to develop their soft and hard skills, as well as mobilize action and strengthen personal and professional development within and beyond the IWG. This pillar is focused on member-led and member-initiated activities that support the ongoing learning and growth of individuals and communities in public health, health systems strengthening, leadership and governance, non-communicable diseases, as well as climate and planetary health. The IWG aims to collaborate with members and partners to design and deliver training programs, workshops, mentorship opportunities, and other initiatives that help build capacity and support the development of emerging public health professionals.
International Working Group for Health Systems Strengthening 