4th Global meeting of health focal points for violence and injury prevention
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17–18 September 2016, Tampere, Finland
WHO will host this meeting to bring together ministry of health focal points to discuss important issues on violence and injury prevention. It will take place prior to the 12th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion (Safety 2016), which focal points will be encouraged to attend.
The European ministry of health focal points for violence and injury prevention will also have a half-day session focused on regional priorities as governed by the Regional Committee resolutions on injury prevention and on the implementation of "Investing in children: the European child maltreatment prevention action plan 2015–2020".
The main objectives are to:
- increase the exchange of ideas and information between ministry of health focal points;
- identify the priority steps needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal targets on violence prevention and road traffic injury prevention;
- inform focal points about WHO products and tools for violence and injury prevention; and
- identify future activities of the informal network of ministry of health focal points.
Violence and unintentional injuries cause 550 000 deaths in the European Region each year and are the leading cause of death in people aged 5–44 years. The Region has some of the countries with the lowest mortality rates in the world, as well as some with the highest. Great inequalities also exist within countries with mortality that is several times higher in the most deprived segments of society. Injury prevention requires a whole-of-society approach with a commitment to equity through the life-course as underpinned by Health 2020. It is envisaged that the Conference will highlight innovative approaches to injury and violence prevention to further strengthen health systems capacity and response.
