Ottawa Charter

The Ottawa
Charter

A charter was written in 1986 to

declare the aims, processes and
outcomes desired by the World
Health Assembly to motivate
nations to promote health.
 Pre-requisites
for health – essential
living conditions and resources for
improvement in health

peace
shelter
education
food
income
stable ecosystem
sustainable resources
social justice & equity
 5 Action Areas
were implemented to guide the
implementation in each country

1. Build healthy public policy

2. Create supportive environments
3. Strengthen community action
4. Develop personal skills
5. Reorient health services
1. Build healthy
public policy
Puts health on the agenda of
policy makers and helps us lead
healthier lives by introducing
laws and policies promoting
healthy behaviours.
Examples of how to Build healthy public
policy
• Smoke free venues (eg. Universities,
Adventure World...)
• Smoking legislation
• Pool fences
• Limits on advertising
• School policy (eg. traffic light
canteens)
• Workplace policy (eg. walking
meetings)
 2. Create
supportive
environments
In order to promote health
people need to care for each
other - ensuring the living and
working conditions of
individuals and communities are
safe, stimulating, satisfying and
enjoyable to promote wellbeing.
Examples of how to create supportive
environments

• Provision of bike paths

• Well lit walking paths
• Better parks & recreation facilities
• Access to health services
• Schools having safe areas
• Workplaces providing showers
facilities
 3. Strengthen
community
action
Communities need to participate
in change in order to become
empowered and as a result
taking control over their own
health.
 Examples of how to Strengthen
community action
• Empowering communities by
encouraging citizens to increase
public participation. E.g. Fundraising
for shade and better skate parks.
• Capacity building and community
development – Feed the Little
Children in Broome.
 4. Develop
personal skills
Educating people with
necessary life skills so they can
make healthy choices.
Examples of how to develop
personal skills
• Mass media
• Use of internet to raise awareness
• Class activities at school – resilience
bounce back health programmes –
Mental Health awareness
• Parent education
• Group sessions
• Cooking classes for migrants
 5. Reorient
health services
Health services and facilities
need to change their attitudes to
focus on the individual as a
whole person.
Examples of how to reorient health
services

• Having several health services under

one roof
• Websites like Headspace offering
numerous services
 Activity
Choose a health issue
(smoking , alcohol) brainstorm
action areas that could and have
occurred in each Action area of
the Ottawa Charter
1. Legislation/Policy
2. Creating supportive Environments
3. Strengthening Community Action
4. Develop Personal Skills
5. Reorient Health Services