Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) participated in the Meeting of Health Environment Ministers of the Americas (HEMA)  in Mar del Plata, Argentina June 16-17, 2005. The outcomes of the HEMA meeting are expected to contribute to the Summit of the Americas.

Prior to the HEMA meeting, IDRC organized a two-day workshop in collaboration with Argentina’s Ministry of Health and Environment on Integrated Approaches to Health and the Environment: Building New Policies.

The workshop

Held on June 14-15, 2005, the workshop was intended for health and environment officials from Latin American countries, and representatives of agencies and the civil society.

It provided a forum to present and discuss projects based on local, national and regional experiences that include an ecosystem and social participation focus, and support policies linking health and environment.

Participants tried to identify political challenges, knowledge gaps and capacity building needs in the three HEMA priority areas:

• sound management of chemicals
• children’s environmental health; and
• integrated water resources and waste management.

The results of the workshop were be presented on June 16 at the Challenges and Opportunities for Integrated Policies and Actions in the Field of Health and Environment seminar prior to the official opening of the HEMA meeting.

ACCESS DOCUMENTS, PRESENTATIONS, AND CASE STUDIES RELATED TO THE CONFERENCE.

2005-06-10