If you have specific questions, please contact conference organisers: hia2010@otago.ac.nz
- Are you an HIA practitioner keen to exchange practical learning with other practitioners?
- Do you work in other areas of impact assessment and wish to explore more effective linkages with the health impact assessment community?
- Are you a decision- maker who uses HIA reports and is interested in learning more about the HIA process?
- Are you involved with the development of environmental, social, resource, or land use policies or plans, and want to know how to consider the wider implications of those policies and plans for community health and wellbeing?
Health, wellbeing, and HIA
Working better, working smarterUniversity of Otago | Dunedin, New Zealand 17th-19th November 2010
We invite you to join us for a three-day conference on health impact assessment (HIA) bringing together international experts and practitioners in policy and planning, impact assessment, and health and wellbeing. Together we will review the latest studies and thinking about ways to make health impact assessment more effective.
BACKGROUND
An individual's quality of life is reliant on their personal health and wellbeing, and that of the wider community. With good health comes the ability to engage in social and cultural, as well as economic, activities.
But how do we make sure our policies, programmes and projects contribute to community wellbeing, and do not compromise individual or community health?
There is an emerging international consensus on those factors that promote wellbeing and those that can be considered detrimental, and how this understanding can be employed in the development of appropriate policies, plans and projects, especially through the use of HIA.
HIA also provides a tangible means by which organisations can work together, and with key stakeholders, through the policy/plan development process—it converts verbal and written commitments into practical action.
OVERVIEW
This Asia Pacific regional conference will provide an important opportunity for HIA practitioners to discuss their practices and experiences with each other, with practitioners from other areas of impact assessment, and with policy makers and planners from many sectors, in central and local government, as well as the private sector. Dialogue between groups and across disciplines is essential if HIA is to become more effective in meeting the needs not only of decision-makers, but also those of key stakeholders, and the wider community.
As a basis for meaningful dialogue, the conference seeks to showcase innovative work on methodologies and techniques, as well as highlighting the latest thinking on effective ways to the institutionalise assessment procedures, construct regulatory frameworks, and manage the HIA process.
The conference aim is for every participant to go away with practical ideas for new ways of working, that can be implemented now, and with strong links to the rapidly expanding network of HIA practitioners in the Asia-Pacific region.