Ewha Womans UniversityInstitute for Development and Human Security

International Cooperation

Global health issues cannot be easily resolved by individual countries or organizations alone. Many countries, along with international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), UN agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and businesses, must work together to overcome these challenges. Recently, the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has gained global traction, leading to a new recognition that businesses are not just profit-driven entities but also active participants in their communities. As such, they are expected to use their resources to positively impact residents and contribute to societal well-being. 

The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), a public-private partnership (PPP), was established by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF (a UN agency), and the World Bank. GAVI plays a crucial role in administering vaccines to vulnerable populations around the world. South Korea became the first Asian donor country to GAVI in 2010. This public-private partnership model is considered innovative and has shown remarkable results. 

Republic of Korea

The health sector has become one of the new focus areas in South Korea's Official Development Assistance (ODA). In 2015, South Korea provided 84% of its total health sector ODA budget in the form of bilateral aid. This budget supported health facilities in developing countries, health insurance, medical services, health policy, and administrative services. South Korea contributed 16% (approximately $3.5 billion) of its total health sector ODA in the form of multilateral aid to international organizations, which is significantly below the OECD DAC average of 55%. This amount was primarily allocated to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, the Global Fund, the Gavi Alliance, regional development banks, and UN agencies.

Girls' Health

In our country, an environment where education is available up to high school without gender discrimination has been established. However, in many countries, girls are still marginalized from their fundamental right to education simply because they are female.

The number of girls graduating from primary school is significantly lower than the number of girls born, and the number of girls graduating from secondary school is even lower. This disparity is due to various reasons. Some girls are pushed into the workforce or do household chores instead of attending school due to their family's poor economic situation. Additionally, in some countries, social and cultural practices lead to child marriage at a young age. Even when girls attend school, they often do not have a conducive environment for learning. Issues such as sexual violence on the way to and from school, sexual harassment within the school, the lack of awareness about the importance of girls' education, and insufficient gender-segregated restrooms are prevalent. These poor educational conditions have a significant impact on the educational achievements of female students. 

The Importance of Girls' Health

International Society

The United States collaborates with national agencies, NGOs, and civil society to implement various projects and programs. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has been running the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) program for the past 30 years. This program collects health data from regions such as Africa, Asia, and South America to support initiatives related to HIV/AIDS prevention, malnutrition, maternal health, and more. Providing support based on accurate data is efficient in terms of cost and time. Through region-specific and situation-appropriate assistance, the U.S. significantly contributes to global efforts to improve girl’s health.

The UK Department for International Development (DFID)’s "Strategic Vision for Girls and Women" aims to unlock the potential of girls and women and prevent poverty before it starts. The goal is to empower girls and women so that they can have a voice, make their own choices, and control their own lives. This includes the principle of "Leaving no one behind." To achieve this, an environment where girls and women, having grown into leaders and influential citizens, can be connected to open economic, social, and political decision-making processes is needed. It also involves creating social norms that support the value and impact of the work that girls and women can contribute to society and the opportunities they have.

Since 2011, the Dutch government has been collaborating with the SRHR (Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights) Alliance, a network of NGOs, government bodies, and organizations, to enhance sexual and reproductive health and rights in developing countries in Africa and Asia. This network, which includes not only Dutch organizations but also NGOs and institutions from recipient countries, primarily targets adolescents and women aged 10-24. It aims to provide education and services related to sexual and reproductive health and to participate in the development of health policies in each country to ensure that everyone can lead a healthy life. The Dutch government supported nine countries (Kenya, Tanzania, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malawi, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Uganda, and India) with a budget of approximately 45 million euros over five years until 2015.

The Netherlands has long supported bold programs aimed at improving sexual and reproductive health worldwide, including safe abortion, sexual and reproductive health for adolescents, and combating discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation. Notably, the Netherlands has provided financial support to prevent the deaths of many women in developing countries due to unsafe abortions. The SRHR Alliance collaborates with civil society to carry out international activities that facilitate such support. Their main activities include providing facilities for maternal health, training educators in sexual and reproductive health for adolescents and women, supporting local organizations for policy advocacy, and conducting campaigns to promote sexual and reproductive health.