Community Power-Building Groups And Public Health NGOs: Reimagining Public Health Advocacy

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Social Determinants of Health
• Community Organizing

Background:

• Public health frameworks acknowledge power inequity's role in health disparities.
• Existing frameworks often overlook community power-building as a strategy to redistribute power.
• Community power-building organizations mobilize affected populations for collective action and social change.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the nature and potential of partnerships between public health non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and community power-building organizations.
• To identify how public health can support social justice movements through strategic collaborations.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative interviews were conducted with representatives from 22 national public health NGOs.
• Interviews also included representatives from 13 community power-building organizations.

Main Results:

• Findings indicate opportunities to bridge advocacy gaps within the public health sector.
• Public health entities can strategically utilize their resources and expertise to bolster social justice initiatives.
• Collaborations can enhance the effectiveness of community-led efforts to transform health conditions.

Conclusions:

• Integrating community power-building into public health strategies is crucial for addressing systemic inequities.
• Public health organizations have a vital role in supporting community power-building for social justice and health equity.
• Partnerships can create a more robust ecosystem for advocating for health and social change.