I agree with Debbie, and although i understand frustrations with working (or
trying to) with big bureaucracies "representing governments", as debbie
mentions, they (are supposed to) represent people, and if we are disatisfied
with them--it is up to us to try to move / change them. Complaining is
easy--trying to work together to change things is more difficult, yet it can
bring results, while complaining does nothing more than vent one's frustrations.
Input, electronic or otherwise, to Jakarta, should not be discouraged--on
the contrary, without input, things will just continue to plod along.But, it
should not stop there either--the energy put into reviewing situations
whould also be put into trying to change them!

At 16:29 17/02/1997 -0500, you wrote:
>Item Subject: Message text
>Eberhard Wenzel ... I hope you have made your comments "tongue in cheek"!
>
>I quote ... "What can electronic participation in the Jakarta Conference
>> possibly accomplish? To comment on what papers are given or what
>> recommendations are decided upon?"
>
>WHO may relate to government but it works on behalf on PEOPLE.  Guiding
>principles of health promotion include equity and access for all, without which
>PEOPLE can not increase control of their health and the factors (determinants)
>that affect and effect it.
>
>As all are well aware, it is very difficult to make decisions / declarations
>with collective voices from across the world.  Much easier to do it with a few
>"respresentative voices".  HOWEVER ... voices from the world could be poled at
>the same time as delegates, electronically.  The ultimate decision would still
>rest with the delegates but input could be rapidly collected through electronic
>means (read e-mail or web site).  A bias sample to be sure, but many minds make
>better decisions.
>
>Dissemination of the declaration(s) would also occur much more quickly if those
>implementing the direction were involved in deciding the direction.  We
have the
>technology ... I for one, think we should use it!!
>
>Debbie Bang
>Coordinator/Researcher
>St. Joseph s Community Health Centre
>Consumer Health Information Centre
>2757 King Street East
>Hamilton, Ontario  L8G 5E4
>(905)  573-7777 ext. 8054
>(905) 573-4828 FAX
>[log in to unmask]
>
>
>
>> From:                 Self <Single-user mode> Anne, Craig, Steve, Bo
>> & some others, who asked for participation in the Jakarta Conference:
>>
>> as a matter of fact, WHO relates to governments (who pay the
>> membership fees) rather than to people. It's an inter-governmental
>> organization, not an NGO. That's why its conferences are almost always
>> exclusive in terms of participation. One may not like this fact but
>> that's what WHO is all about.
>>
>>  The conference will be prepared
>> excellently in terms of WHO's own standards, i.e. no further input
>> from the outside will be necessary in July 1997. Again, this is not an
>> open forum, this is a closed shop!
>>
>> Individual input could have been given on national level, whatever
>> that means. I never heard about a national conference here in
>> Australia, in which the preparation of the Jakarta Conference was an
>> agenda item. Well, that's not true, I heard of a meeting in December
>> 1996, but then, that seemed to be a closed shop as well, since I have
>> not received an invitation or read a public announcement.
>>
>> Don't worry - everything will be taken care of.
>>
>> Eberhard Wenzel
>> Griffith University
>> Faculty of Environmental Sciences
>> Nathan, Qld. 4111
>> Australia
>> Tel.: 61-7-3875 7103
>> Fax:  61-7-3875 7459
>> e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>>
>
>
Anne W. Bunde-Birouste
IUHPE Director of Programmes
<[log in to unmask]>