Tuesday 12 June 2007:
UEFA (the Union of European Football Associations), the governing body for European football, has today pledged its support to the European Men's Health Forum by signing the Forum's Vienna Declaration, which calls on Europe’s politicians to do a great deal more to improve the inadequate support for men’s health.
Jonathan Hill, Head of UEFA's EU Office, said, ‘We are proud to support the work of the European Men's Health Forum, which has raised some important questions about men's health in Europe. This is not about putting men before women: the EMHF has simply recognised that men in Europe face a number of specific challenges that demand an urgent response.’
Erick Savoye, Director of the European Men’s Health Forum welcomed UEFA’s support, saying: ‘The Vienna Declaration provides a focus for changes to the way we approach the health of men and boys in Europe. Men’s use of health services and health information is generally poor across Europe. The delivery of healthcare and information is often not appropriate for men. There is a lack of investment and research in men’s health, and men’s life expectancy is unnecessarily low across Europe.
‘To have the support of a body such as UEFA, with all the support that football attracts throughout Europe, will give the Declaration a massive boost’.
The Vienna Declaration states that men must have the opportunity to achieve the highest possible level of health and well-being, gain access to equitable and affordable healthcare services, and receive health advice and information appropriate to their experience and concerns.
It calls on the European Union, national governments, providers of health services and other relevant bodies to:
- recognise men’s health as a distinct and important issue;
- develop a better understanding of men’s attitudes to health;
- invest in male-sensitive approaches to providing healthcare;
- initiate work on health for boys and young men in school and the community;
- develop coordinated health and social policies that promote men’s health.
Since its launch in 2005, the Declaration has received the endorsement of two EU commissioners, 25 Members of the European Parliament and 250 organisations from 27 European countries.
Erick Savoye said: ‘It is now important that EMHF and its partners follow these principles with action. EMHF has started to work with key European stakeholder groups to propose a more detailed framework for action. In the presence of senior officials of the Portuguese government and of the EU Presidency team, a ceremony in Lisbon this Autumn will mark the transition towards such new steps.’
ENDS
