Digital Transformations for Health Lab (DTH-Lab) and Digital Health and Rights Project (DHRP)
29 May 2024
15.00-16.30 CEST
18.30-19.30 IST
14.00-15.00 WAT
Members of the Digital Health and Rights Project (DHRP) and Digital Transformations for Health Lab (DTH-Lab) are hosting a World Health Assembly side event entitled ‘Achieving UHC through an inclusive and rights-based digital transformation.’ Key stakeholders in the global health governance ecosystem will delve into key issues impeding the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 including digital divides, meaningful participation of young people in all their diversity, and the governance of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies for health.
Digital technologies are rapidly transforming our world and will play a critical role in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the broader SDGs if human rights and equity are at the centre. While this is recognised in the WHO’s Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020-2025, it has not yet been realised and key barriers remain. For example, 2.9 billion people remain offline, with intersecting inequalities such as gender, race, class and geography shaping people’s access to and experiences of digital technologies. Opportunities are available to increase access, empower users and build digital literacy, yet require greater support including funding and political will.
Additionally, the right to meaningful participation is grounded in numerous human rights, and is a cornerstone of a rights-based approach to development. However, opportunities for young people and key populations to participate in decisions regarding the governance and regulation of digital technologies, AI, health and rights are limited. The Global Digital Compact and the UN High-Level AI Advisory Board are two examples of rapidly-evolving digital governance that require open and inclusive public input. We need to not only strengthen governance of digital technologies but also increase the meaningful participation and engagement of communities in these processes.
During this side event discussions will focus on the key challenges and opportunities arising in delivering a just, equitable and rights-based digital approach for UHC. We will hear from a diverse expert panel, including representatives from governments, civil society and key UN institutions as well as from young people who are at the centre leading research and advocacy projects.
Ilona Kickbusch is the Director of the DTH-Lab. She is a visiting professor at the University of Geneva, the founding director, chair and senior distinguished fellow of the Global Health Centre at the Geneva Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies. She is known throughout the world for her expertise and is a sought after senior adviser and key note speaker. Her areas of expertise include the determinants of health, health in all policies, and global health governance. She advises countries on their global health strategies, trains health specialists, and is involved in German G7 and G20 health activities. She publishes widely and serves on various commissions and boards. She has been awarded the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesverdienstkreuz) in recognition of her invaluable contributions to innovation in governance for global health and global health diplomacy. She has also been awarded the WHO Medal in recognition of her contribution to global health.
Aferdita Bytyqi is the Executive Director of the DTH-Lab ensuring the success of overall project goals and strategic objectives of the DTH-Lab both internally and with key external stakeholders within the global health ecosystem. With a career spanning over 25 years, she brings a wealth of progressive programmatic experience in spearheading international research, development, and regeneration initiatives on behalf of multilateral and bilateral agencies, as well as private donors. Her previous professional contributions include ICS Integrare, MBM, FAO, WHO and the Senior Coordinator of the Lancet and Financial Times Commission. Aferdita has a Dipl. Ing in Architecture and an M.Sc. in Urban Design in Development from UCL.
Global Health | Digital Health | Public Health & Prevention | Meaningful Youth Engagement | Cultural Awareness & Diversity
Caroline Knop is a medical student at Charité Berlin with a strong interest in the digital transformation of health. She served as National Public Health Officer of the German Medical Student’s Association 2022/23 and was part of the International Federation of Medical Student’s Associations delegation to the 76th World Health Assembly in Geneva. As Co-Head of the Youth Side Program on the World Health Summit she advocates for meaningful youth engagement. Passionate about addressing the digital determinants of health, she works together with SATMED, an open access satellite-based eHealth communications platform, providing digital health services to remote, resource-poor areas of emerging and developing countries. As a participant in the International Collaboration and Exchange Program (Columbia ICEP), an international student networking and exchange program partnering over 26 major leading medical universities on 5 continents, she believes that current health challenges need to be addressed by a global approach in collaborative problem solving. Having a strong interest in research she served as Head of Public Relations during the foundation of Berlin Exchange Medicine, the first German student healthcare journal. She is a scholar of the German Academic Scholarship Foundation and has recently joined the Global Digital Health Lab at Charité Berlin.
