Innovations in Global Health and the Global Governance System

Abstract:     
The growing role of civil society in global health governance reflects profound and well known changes in the overall system of global governance. In many respects, however, health governance is actually leading those changes. This paper uses the lens of Liberal international relations theory to explore innovations in global health governance that are not only interesting and significant in their own right, but are also of broader importance for global governance. These include (1) the role of civil society organizations (CSOs) as 'proponents' or advocates of policy and the advocacy partnerships formed by CSOs and public organizations; (2) the changing nature of inter-state regimes, such as the WHO/international health regime, due to the growing participation of domestic, non-state actors; (3) the strategies of organizations like the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria to engage with and empower domestic CSOs in dealings with their own governments; and (4) the emerging role of CSOs, private sector firms and other non-state actors as 'protagonists' or direct participants in international governance, independently or in collaboration with states and international organizations. The paper uses the Governance Triangle to map and analyze the forms and patterns of private and private-public governance arrangements.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 25

Keywords: international relations, health law, civil society organizations

Accepted Paper Series