Abstract
Civil Society Organisations have become influential actors in the global health arena and thus an understanding of who they are, their legitimacy, roles and the tensions they face is crucial to understanding global health governance. This chapter describes the growing role of Civil Society Organisations in global health governance. The first sections define the term Civil Society and then discuss the different types of organisation which may be regarded as Civil Society actors and their strengths and weaknesses. The following sections describe the roles that are played in global health diplomacy by these different actors with case study examples of the way Civil Society can shape global health through engagement in international meetings, championing specific causes and holding government and international agencies to account. In many cases Civil Society actors provide a vital link between the discourse on global health issues at international and national levels and the concerns and contributions of ordinary citizens. This Public Diplomacy function is described as a vital component of global health governance. The chapter concludes with some thoughts on the tensions Civil Society Organisations face and how their roles can be enhanced in the future architecture of global health governance.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
African Religious Health Assets Programme (ARHAP). (2007). Appreciating assets: the contribution of religion to universal access in Africa. Cape Town: ARHAP. http://www.arhap.uct.ac.za/publications.php. Accessed on 13 June 2010.
Annan, K., (1998). Secretary-General describes emerging era in global affairs with growing role for Civil Society alongside established institutions. Press Release SG/SM/6638 United Nations New York. http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/1998/19980714.sgsm6638.html. Accessed on 13 June 2010.
The US Institute of Medicine. Board on International Health. (1997). America’s vital interest in global health: protecting our people, enhancing our economy and advancing our international interests. Washington: US Institute of Medicine. Available at http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=5717. Accessed on 13 June 2010.
Bradley, T. (2005). Does compassion bring results? A critical perspective on faith and development. Culture and Religion 6 (3), 337–351. Taylor and Francis: Oxford.
Howell, J., Ishkanian, A., Obadare, E., Seckinelgin, H., & Glasius, M. (2006). Civil society working paper 26: the backlash against civil society in the wake of the long war on terror centre for civil society. London School of Economics
Kaldor, M. (2003a). Global civil society: An alternative to war. London: Willey-Blackwell.
Kaldor, M. (2003b). The idea of global civil society. International Affairs, 79(3), 583–593. London.
Loewenson, R. (2003). Annotated bibliography on civil society and health: civil society influence on global health policy. Civil Society Initiative WHO, Training and Research Support Centre Zimbabwe. Available at http://www.tarsc.org/WHOCSI/pdf/WHOTARSC4.pdf). Accessed on 13 June 2010.
Obaid, T. A. (2005). Journal of the American Academy of Religion, 73(4), 1155–1173. Oxford Journals.
Simonson, K. (2005). The Gleneagles summit: NGO and civil society perspectives on the G8. Ottawa: Centre for Applied Studies in International Negotiations.
Tomlinson, B., et al. (2008). The advisory group civil society and aid effectiveness: a synthesis of the advisory group regional consultations and related processes. January-December 2007 published 2008 available at (accessed 13 June 2010). Accra. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/ACCRAEXT/Resources/4700790-1208545462880/AG-CS-Synthisis-of-Consultations.pdf
Further Reading
Baybutt, A. (Director) TV (2004) “The Band Aid Story” a film you can download about the formation of Band Aid.
The Lancet see global health articles and Global Health TV. http://www.thelancet.com/).
The World Bank Civil Society Web Site Page. http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/CSO/0,contentMDK:20092185∼menuPK:220422∼pagePK:220503∼piPK:220476∼theSitePK:228717,00.html.
UNDP Democratic Governance Web Site Page. http://www.beta.undp.org/undp/en/home/ourwork/democraticgovernance/overview.html.
Tyndale, W. (2003). Idealism and practicality: The role of religion in development. Journal of International Development, 12, 46:4:22–28
Flannigan, S. T. (2010). For the love of God: NGOs and religious identity in a violent world. Sterling, VA: Kumarian Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Barmania, S., Lister, G. (2013). Civil Society Organisations, Global Health Governance and Public Diplomacy. In: Kickbusch, I., Lister, G., Told, M., Drager, N. (eds) Global Health Diplomacy. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5401-4_18
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5401-4_18
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-5400-7
Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-5401-4
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)