“Ahimsa Forum 2017”

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am honoured to have the opportunity to speak to you today at the Ahimsa Forum 2017. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Ahimsa Fund for making this event possible and for their dedication to advancing public health around the world. I would also like to thank the Fund for bringing to the French Alps one of the greatest contributions of Indian religions to humanity: the principle of Ahimsa.

In Sanskrit, Ahimsa means “not to injure” and “compassion”. It holds that all living beings carry within themselves the spark of divine spiritual energy. That hurting another being is to hurt the divine, to hurt oneself. A central tenet of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism, this timeless principle inspired Mahatma Ghandi’s doctrine of non-violent resistance: satyagraha. And it remains as relevant today as when it first appeared in writing, some 2,500 years ago.

It is apparent today that suffering in one corner of the planet has global ramifications. That the great issues confronting us are global and far exceed the capacity of one state or organization to tackle alone. War, coupled with natural disasters and political oppression, propagate conflicts and spur people to flee. Climate change, population growth, rapid urbanization and environmental degradation lead to greater competition for limited resources that fuel conflicts. Rising inequalities and an absence of political leadership, as well as inefficient and corrupt governance, have reinforced the trust deficit that is fertile ground for populist movements. In health, we are all at risk when others are cut off from adequate healthcare, when the most vulnerable among us are ignored until it is too late. The Ebola outbreak that devastated parts of West Africa between 2014 and 2016 made plain the tragic consequences of a failure of solidarity. What began as an isolated outbreak rapidly morphed into a global health crisis that killed over 11,300 people. In the face of this emergency, a number of states tried to wall themselves off from the threat, a populist response these days that only serves to aggravate the problem.

Recognizing that our collective future depends on making sure we “leave no one behind” and that our planet is not destroyed, the 193 Member States of the United Nations adopted in 2015 the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. At the heart of this shared roadmap are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of which one – the third – is dedicated to health and well-being. Building on the progress made and the work still to be done under the Millennium Development Goals, this goal sets new targets for combating HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, for childhood and maternal mortality, as well as for many other health challenges that go well beyond the health care sector per se. I will focus my remarks on two insights gleaned from decades of development work, which underpin the 2030 Agenda: interdependence and a bottom-up approach.

The 2030 Agenda may be divided into 17 SDGs, but it is premised on the realization that progress in one field depends on action in another. In other words, the traditional lines that divide disciplines from one another narrow our field of vision. They prevent us from appreciating the interactions and linkages that shape our lives. Public health, for one, is about more than healthcare. It is about nutrition. One in four of the world’s children suffer from stunted growth due to malnutrition, with lifelong health repercussions. Public health is about education. According to a 2013 study, under-five mortality would fall by 49 percent if all women in low and lower middle income countries completed secondary education. Public health is about the environment. Pollution accounts for more than 12.6 million deaths per year. Public health is about lifestyle choices. Some 600 million adults worldwide are obese, a largely preventable condition that is rapidly rising in both developed and developing countries. Finally, public health is about one’s philosophical or spiritual well-being. It is about companionship and opportunities for mental and personal development. To paraphrase the words of a leading faith figure, Cardinal Turkson, sustainable development is about caring for the “entirety” of our fellow man and woman.

The SDGs address this reality by being interdependent and indivisible. In other words, progress on the health SDG bring windfalls to all the other goals. It is indispensable, for example, to guarantee equal access to health services to reduce poverty. In the same vein, the other SDGs also impact health. For example, promoting sustainable consumption – the twelfth goal – has a role in the struggle against so-called “super bugs” by promoting a rational use of antibiotics. This interdependency is rooted in the SDGs’ 169 targets, which are more tangible and helpful to define precise action by decision-makers. Health targets can be found in nearly all 17 SDGs.

Member States are in the driver’s seat of the 2030 Agenda, but their success depends on adopting a new collaborative approach in their capitals and beyond. Governments are better placed to deliver on their promises if they break down the silos between different ministries and begin operating in a more integrated, horizontal way. Parliamentarians, regional governments, city and local authorities, for their part, have a vital role to play by serving as conduits in a vertical exchange that must flow in both directions. Implementation will ultimately be carried out on the ground. That is why we have to be responsive to the lessons learned and the wisdom of those who face these challenges at the grassroots every day. We cannot help others if we are not willing to listen and learn, if we are not willing to help empower local communities.

Just as new bottom-up relationships are needed to tackle today’s global challenges, so are international, horizontal partnerships. This is particularly the case in light of the holistic interconnected nature of the Sustainable Development Goals. Their success will ultimately depend on the close collaboration between various actors that were previously isolated in their respective fields. Home to over 100 UN and other international organizations, 178 representatives of Member States, some 400 NGOs, over 250 permanent missions and other delegations, a dynamic private sector and prominent academic institutions, the Lake Geneva region is the ideal place to facilitate this kind of cross-cutting collaboration and exchange of knowledge across traditional divides. Just last month, two Geneva-based institutions – the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees – partnered to improve the health of the world’s more than 65 million refugees by providing specialized health care to refugees and host communities. This effort not only bridges the divide between the topics of health and refugees, but demonstrates Geneva’s role and capacity in overcoming the divide between agencies focused on development and humanitarian aid.

For its part, the Global Fund and similar Geneva-based entities, such as the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization and the Stop TB Partnership, are examples of partnerships between governments, international organizations, private donors and NGOs. These unique multistakeholder partnerships and entities – made possible by International Geneva – have had a demonstrable impact because they bring to the table their individual competitive advantage to obtain superior results. GAVI, for example, has already immunized nearly 320 million children in 10 years. The research institutes and hospitals of the Lake Geneva region are part and parcel of the collaborative success of International Geneva. The Hôpitaux universitaires de Genève (HUG), for example, participated intensively in the test phase of the first promising vaccine for Ebola. This ground-breaking trial was led by the World Health Organization, whose presence in Geneva helps makes this city the capital of global health. The WHO is not only an active leader and partner in countless health projects worldwide, but the authority on standards for health promotion, vaccines, toxins and road safety, among so many other topics. Standards that help keep us healthy and safe, even if we are not aware they exist. Other entities based in Geneva, although they may not appear at first to have a stake in health care, play their own vital roles. The International Labour Organization’s work to ensure decent work, for example, not only serves to protect the economic well-being of millions of workers, but also protects their bodies and minds.

When Mahatma Ghandi created his doctrine of satyagraha, he tapped into the ancient principle of Ahimsa to create a non-violent tool for mass action. As we work collectively to achieve the vision of the 2030 Agenda, we must also learn to re-examine our assumptions, roles and partnerships. To rethink how our skills and expertise can complement those of partners in other fields so that we may better serve the most vulnerable. Ultimately, we must never forget that we all have a role to play – as leaders, activists, citizens and consumers – in making sure that “no one is left behind”.

Thank you.