Migration and health news from around the WHO European Region
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Migration and health news from around the WHO European Region.
Migration and Health Newsletter
June 2023
“There was never one time that anyone ever asked me, ‘Are you okay?’”
Addressing human trafficking through health
systems: a scoping review from WHO/Europe
Jane Lasonder was trafficked for sexual exploitation as a child, at a very young age. “I didn’t even know that it was called trafficking, because that wasn’t a word that was used many years ago.”
A new WHO/Europe scoping review found that frontline health workers are often the only public employees to meet trafficked people during their ordeal. However, many trafficked people remain unidentified. Read more about Jane's story and what frontline health workers can do.
Addressing human trafficking through health systems: a scoping review
YouTube playlist
The World Health Assembly extends the global action plan for refugee and migrant health until 2030
Geneva, Switzerland, 26 May 2023
The Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly adopted a resolution to extend the WHO Global Action Plan on Promoting the Health of Refugees and Migrants until 2030, which requests governments, stakeholders, and networks, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) to continue to improve the health of refugees and migrants worldwide.
Third Global Consultation on the Health of Refugees and Migrants
Rabat, Morocco, 13–15 June 2023
WHO, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will hold the Third Global Consultation on the Health of Refugees and Migrants on 13–15 June 2023. Hosted by the Government of Morocco in Rabat, the Third Global Consultation serves as a meaningful and sustained platform for multisectoral dialogue on refugee and migration health.
Countries hosting refugees from Ukraine reaffirm their commitment to meeting their health needs
Bratislava, Slovakia, 28 April 2023
Amid the relentless war in Ukraine – now in its second year, and the refugee diaspora it has resulted in – health ministers, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and United Nations (UN) agencies came together in Bratislava in April to discuss the challenges, solutions and ways forward for addressing the health needs of Ukrainians who have sought temporary protection from the conflict in neighbouring countries. The high-level consultation was organized by the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic and WHO/Europe.
Consultation on new action plan for refugee and migrant health in the WHO European Region 2023–2030
Larnaca, Cyprus, 25 – 26 April 2023
The WHO European Region is home to a significant number of international migrants, with 13% of the population living outside their country of birth. At the same time, over 8 million refugees have fled Ukraine since the onset of the war, the largest displacement of people in Europe since the Second World War.
Against this background, on 25–26 April, WHO/Europe hosted a consultation with Member States, partners and civil society on a new action plan that will:
- define priority action areas, illustrative actions and progress indicators for refugee and migrant health in 2023–2030;
- facilitate the translation and operationalization of global instruments on health and migration, including the Global Action Plan on Promoting the Health of Refugees and Migrants, in a regional context and aligned with regional priorities.
The new action plan will be submitted to the 73rd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in Astana, Kazakhstan, in October 2023. It will build on the progress made under the previous Strategy and Action Plan for Refugee and Migrant Health that expired in 2022.
Poland, April 2023
Ukrainian refugees are making valuable contributions to the national health system in Poland while they are staying in the country.
In February 2022, millions of refugees crossed the western land border into Poland in the largest displacement since the Second World War. Over a year later, Poland continues to host the largest population of Ukrainian refugees, with 1.5 million people granted temporary protection.
While many Ukrainian medical professionals are eager to support, they face significant barriers, such as lack of Polish language skills and the different qualifications required for them to work in the Polish health-care system. In response, WHO is working closely with the Polish Ministry of Health to provide support and guidance to enable qualified Ukrainian health workers to use their skills and education in the national health system.
A WHO/Europe policy brief explores how arts activities can be improve health and well-being of forcibly displaced people by promoting multiple different psychological, behavioural and social processes. For example, arts activities can improve self-confidence, promote healthy behaviours as well as social inclusion and, importantly, offer hope.
