UHC Day 2025: Bringing everyone to the table
Welcome back to the 2025 UHC Day Updates series on social participation! Last week we reviewed some of the recent global commitments to universal health coverage (UHC) and summarized the basic tenets of social participation. This week, we’re discussing the importance of inclusive representation in health decision-making. Let’s jump right in!
Bringing everyone to the table
A new rural clinic might look good on paper, but if it is built too far from the communities it seeks to support, it won’t be used. A policy might be introduced to provide free maternal care, but if women don’t feel safe visiting the clinics, the policy will not deliver. When leaders listen to the diverse voices of people within the communities they are serving, they create health systems that are more equitable, trusted and responsive.
Inclusive representation is vital.
Too often we see the same groups of people – often those with already established connections and influence – invited to the table when it comes to making policies or adopting laws. But if we only hear some voices when designing health systems, then the systems will only work for some people. It’s important to bring more voices to the table by identifying and empowering under-represented groups. Real social participation means ensuring we all have a chance to be heard – particularly those of us who are often left behind.
Who is being left behind?
From young people, people with disabilities, and women and girls, to rural communities, minority groups, or people who are marginalized or discriminated against due to their identity or background, around the globe, some groups are too often excluded from making decisions about the health systems that affect them. When these groups don’t have a seat at the table, the decisions made often fall short of meeting the real needs of communities.
Social participation at play
In Pakistan, the tragic case of Alisha, a transgender woman, highlights just how far exclusion can go. Alisha died in a hospital, in large part because emergency staff could not decide whether to keep her in the male or female ward.
Local activists and transgender rights groups raised their voices in outrage, pressing hospitals and health authorities to adopt more inclusive protocols. Over time, a few hospitals in Pakistan started changing their policies, explicitly ensuring that transgender patients are placed and treated respectfully and given access to wards and services that reflect their identity.
The movement sparked by Alisha’s story shows how community voices - including those of marginalized groups - have the power to push governments to make health systems more inclusive and responsive.
What you can do
Step 1: Find out who’s missing. When you participate in community groups or UHC rallies, meet with local leaders, or attend town halls or health meetings, look around and ask yourself who is not in the room.
Step 2: Reach out. Be the person who pulls up another seat at the table. Whether it be a friend or neighbour, a local community group or a civil society organization, invite someone who might otherwise have been left out. It can be as easy as making a phone call, sending an email or adding someone to the invite list for an event.
Step 3: Hold space. Bringing more people to the table is only the first step. Once they’re there, it’s important to make sure they have space to speak, and that they feel comfortable doing so. If you’re organizing the meeting or event, ensure everyone feels safe to share their ideas without judgement or ridicule by setting the example. You can also help make the space more inclusive by giving everyone an opportunity to speak and asking them about their experience. Try using open questions like “What would make this health service work better for you?” or “Would you like to share your experience accessing health services?”
Building more inclusive and effective health systems starts with the smallest actions, like bringing more people to the table. By reaching out to different individuals and groups today, you can make an impact for generations to come.
And don’t forget to register for the youth capacity-building workshop on 4 November 2025! We’ll be sharing practical tools and tips to help you harness the power of personal storytelling to influence high-level decision-makers. (The workshop will be available in English, Spanish and French.)
Tool spotlight
Consider attending or organizing an event to connect members of your community, experts, leaders, health and care workers and other advocates. These gatherings create space for peer-to-peer learning, amplify diverse perspectives, and foster collaboration across sectors. By combining knowledge with real stories, we can inspire new ideas, build momentum towards UHC Day, and strengthen accountability.
How? Read last year’s “Get ready for UHC Day 2024!” series for a step-by-step guide to UHC advocacy and how to organize an event. When ready, fill out the short form to feature your event on the global heatmap (coming soon!).
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