Dear colleagues, as you know we have a digital pre-conference 

Monday 12 October from 14:00 – 17:00 Central European Time.

Register for participation at registration@wcph2020.com                                                    

The participation fee is set at 40 EURO. And note that you can register for the pre-conference separately! You need not register for the full congress. This is unique opportunity to listen to and discuss three very interesting presentations witihout leaving your desk. 

The theme for the pre-conference is 

 “It’s not about the future of work……it’s about the future of decent work.”                                                       A global perspective on social protections and refocusing on worker well-being.

When you register to the pre-conference it is important be sure to link our section name with the title of the preconference. 

And we hope that you forward the invitation and information on the pre-conference to colleagues all over the world. Since it is possible to register only for the pre-conference it is an easy way to take part. You need not be a member in our section - anyone who is interested in social security, work and health is welcome to participate.

Professor George Delclos will moderate the pre-conference program with our three speakers:

Our first key note speaker, Dr. Paul Schulte, Director of the Division of Science Integration at the U.S. CDC National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) will help us explore different future of work scenarios, their likely impacts on worker well-being, and the modulating effects of social protections.

Goal 8 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development calls for “the promotion of sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work”. Decent work drives sustainable development and contributes to attaining worker well-being. A laudable goal, without doubt, but how feasible is it to attain decent work in low and middle income countries?  Our second keynote speaker, Dr. Vera Ngowi, Senior Lecturer at the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences in Tanzania, will frame this issue through her recent work on the challenges of obtaining a decent work environment in Sub-Saharan Africa.

And, finally, there is little question that the COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating the pace and nature of changes in the nature of work, creating high levels of stress, job insecurity, and adverse impacts on health. In this context, the continuation of social protections, together with activation of new emergency measures, can play an important role in preserving the social fabric by helping citizens meet their basic needs, providing healthcare and by extending benefits. Our final keynote speaker, Professor Doctor Nico Dragano, Director of the Center for Health and Society at the University of Dusseldorf, recently coordinated a European work group on the indirect health consequences of COVIOD 19. He will speak on the health consequences of unemployment and social economic differences due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and how this is likely to affect the concepts of work, decent work, social security and sustainability.

Those of you who will register for the full EPH-congress are also very much welcome to participate in the Section's annual meeting on Wednesday 14th of October between 17.00 and 18.00 ECT. It will be held as a zoom-meeting and the latest information we got is that only persons registered at the conference can participate. More information will come through the EUPHA office.

Hope to see you!

Best regards,
Gunnel Hensing
University of Goteborg

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