Health Determinants, Promotion and Prevention
We advance health for all by working with governments and partners to address the social determinants of health and the major risk factors for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and injuries. Through leadership, multisectoral collaboration and evidence-based guidance, we tackle the root causes of NCDs and injuries and provide specialized technical assistance to support policies and programmes that create healthier, more equitable societies.

Urban health

Within the Social Determinants of Health Department, the cross-cutting work stream on urban health focuses on improving health at city level and has five main areas of work: normative work, including building the evidence base of what works to enhance urban health; building partnerships and networks to scale up implementation of effective interventions; developing synergies across different urban health initiatives; capacity building in addressing urban health; and global advocacy.

News

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Publications

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Supporting healthy diets and safe foods in urban food environments

This WHO background document examines how urban food environments influence access to healthy diets and safe food, and how rapid urbanization is reshaping...

An evaluation of Odisha’s urban public health system

The report documents good practices and outlines the primary challenges facing Odisha’s urban health care model from both supply and demand perspectives,...

Guide to creating urban public SPACES for children

Public spaces to play are important to children's health and development and are a core right. Yet with increasing urbanization, access to public spaces...