A Global Social Contract for Health and Well-Being

A good level of health and well-being and accessible and affordable healthcare for all are among of the most important pillars for cohesive and prosperous societies. Health is therefore at the very heart of a global social contract as expressed in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Constitution of the World Health Organization (WHO).

The COVID-19 pandemic and the severe inequalities ensuing between the Global North and Global South have highlighted the need to revisit global cooperation. In the Global North existing social contracts are being challenged and in the Global South, social safety nets are still under construction in many countries, leaving the social compact unfulfilled in the face of widening gap of global health inequalities. New answers to the rising challenges for health as part of the social contract are therefore needed.

The session will explore endeavors in both the Global North and the Global South for health as part of the social contract, as well consider how recent global initiatives – such as the Pandemic Agreement, the Summit of the Future and the Global Digital Compact – aim to outline the key principles for a truly global social contract.