Healthy Settings and children environmental health

The Healthy Settings programme concentrates on activities linked to healthy cities, healthy schools, healthy villages, healthy markets, etc. It is based on the notion that health depends not only on good health services or individual lifestyles (important as these are) but on a supportive environment. Of particular concern are the most vulnerable groups in society such as children, within the context of the "Settings Approach", the programme provides strategic guidance to ensure the rights of children to live and grow in healthy environments.
The programme pursues its goal by:

• Providing technical support to countries in ensuring that health is an integral component of municipal and national plans and activities.
• Assisting in resource mobilization and networking for city level projects.
• Development and dissemination of promotional materials, technical guidelines and manuals.
• Technical support and promotion of innovative community based-pilot activities within the framework of the settings approach - Healthy Villages, Healthy Schools, Healthy Markets etc.
• Raising awareness of people of the special vulnerability of children to environmental threats and of the need to protect children from environmental hazards.
• Enhancing the capabilities of health and environmental authorities and other sectors to develop and implement prevention and control measures that better protect children from environmental threats.