LIBERATION FROM WHAT?
A Critical Reflection on the People's Health Assembly,
2000
Over three months have passed since
the first major international event of the People's
Health Assembly (PHA) took place in Bangladesh,
from December 3 to 8, 2000. Yet only now, after
this long period of rumination, are we able to
sort out our thoughts and feelings about this
extraordinary event.
If, in this commentary, we are in
some ways critical of the PHA event, it is not
because we think it was unsuccessful. Rather it
is because--given the enormity of the problems
facing the world today--this momentous forum was
only a tiny beginning of the necessary groundswell
for change. Like each of us who took part in it,
the event had its strong points and weak points.
And if we all drown out each other's questions
with unbridled applause, we will miss the chance
to learn from our mistakes and to do better in
the future.
| Precisely because
this first international event of the People's
Health Assembly was not the final summit but
rather the exuberant beginning of what we
hope will blossom into a worldwide movement
for change, critical reflection is essential.
If we are to effectively forge a way forward,
hindsight is as important as foresight. We
must not just lampoon the global power strucure.
We must likewise be critical of our grass-roots
endeavor--and of ourselves. |
 |
The People's Health Assembly
2000 was held at Gonashasthaya Kendra,
a community- based health program that
trains village women as health workers
and agents of change.
|
One reason we are writing this assessment
of the People's Health Assembly is that, at its
closure, so many partici- pants--in a knee-jerk-
ing response that was more reflexive than reflective--jubilantly
declared it "an overwhelming success." This brought
to mind a statement made by the philospher Nietzsche
to a doting audience, which was something like:
"I keep listening for whispers of understanding,
but all I hear is shouts of praise."
|
READ ABOUT THE PHA ON
THE WEB
This commentary on the People's Health
Assembly in Bangladesh is mainly an assessment,
not a report. It reflects on methods, organization
and dynamics.
For those wishing to learn
more about the content of the conference,
a list of themes and speakers, a day-by-day
PHA News Report is on the web site:
www.pha2000.org
|
