Working Across Sectors
Working across sectors – or "intersectoral collaboration"- is joint action among different sectors.
WHO defines intersectoral collaboration as “A recognized relationship between part or parts of different sectors of society which has been formed to take action on an issue to achieve health outcomes or intermediate health outcomes in a way which is more effective, efficient or sustainable than might be achieved by the health sector acting alone.” (WHO, 1998)
Women’s Centre for Health Matters recognises that health outcomes rely on groups not normally associated with health, but whose activities have an impact on health or the factors known to influence it. So for WCHM intersectoral collaboration is an important element of our work which refers to our cooperation between the different sectors in the community, including (but not limited to) those involved in health, mental health, education, social services, housing, transportation, legal, cultural diversity, ageing, safety, domestic violence and sexual assault, environmental planning and government to improve health outcomes.
Through collaboration across sectors we aim to achieve greater awareness of the health consequences of policy decisions and organisational practice in different sectors. For WCHM intersectoral collaboration includes the provision of information and support to these other sectors to help them support women and their health literacy and to consider women’s health and wellbeing needs in their operations.
WCHM is committed to intersectoral collaboration through its involvement in meetings, consultations, and submissions, and its membership and support of many networks, committees and roundtables in the ACT. In particular we have worked closely with the Women And Prisons group, the justice sector, the women’s services sector, the disability sector, the doemstic violence and crisis sector, the multicultural sector and the mental health community sector to raise the profile of issues relating to women and to develop approaches to working together in relation to women’s health and wellbeing in the ACT.
References:
- Health Promotion Glossary,World Health Organization (1998)