Globalization, Global Governance and the Social Determinants of Health: A review of the linkages and agenda for action

This is an old report of a knowledge network part of the WHO commission.  However, in light of the recent report of the Oslo-Lancet Commission on Global Governance for Health, I think it is still a very good resource on the whole concept of global governance.

Globalization, Global Governance and the Social Determinants of Health:
A review of the linkages and agenda for action

WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health

As processes of globalization have accelerated in recent decades, there have been widespread ef- forts to develop appropriate forms of governance to deal effectively with emerging worldwide challenges. This paper reviews the existing evidence concerning the impacts of global governance on the social deter- minants of health (SDH). First, it documents the tran- sition taking place towards global governance related to the SDH in terms of institutional actors, and their relative roles, power and authority. Second, it assesses how emerging forms of global governance may be in- fluencing the SDH. How might various institutions, and the distribution and use of power and authority among them, affect the SDH? Third, this paper assess- es the quality of emerging forms of global governance against recognized “good governance” criteria. Fourth, it identifies how global governance can play a transfor- mational role in addressing the SDH.