Health In Europe

When we hear the word suicide, many of us instinctively recoil. The word is taboo in everyday life. For family members who have lost somebody to suicide, this stigma can make grieving even more complex. People may struggle to explain the loss and how they feel about it to friends, colleagues, and other family members. But how do you explain suicide to a young child? What words should you use? How do you support them? In June 2024, Ireland's National Office for Su...

When we talk about alcohol at WHO, we often start with the evidence. Today, we're starting with people's experiences. Aleksandra Olsen works on communications about alcohol and health here at WHO Regional Office for Europe. At WHO, it is common that we will talk about units, thresholds and risk. Today, Aleks put all of the statistics aside and invited three women in for a conversation. Mia, who is 34 and has stage 4 breast cancer. Hazel, a journalist, and in the past has exp...

In the first episode of this mini-series, we've heard why WHO/Europe launched the Special Initiative on Violence Against Women and Girls. In the second, we spoke with UNFPA on how health systems can and are practically taking steps to help tackle gender based violence. In this third episode of 'I believe you' we speak with Elisa Fernandez Saenz from UN Women Europe and Central Asia. We hear about Elisa's upbringing in Costa Rica, what led her to her work with UN Women, how important cooperati...

Last episode on I Believe You, Dr. Hans Kluge set out why WHO Europe has made violence against women and girls one of its top priorities. This week, what that means in practice. When a woman or a girl walks into a clinic, that may be the only moment anyone has a chance to notice what is happening to her, whether the person in front of her is ready to understand that it can change everything. Melanie Hyde and Greg Bianchi spoke to Florence Bauer, who runs the UN Sexual and Reprodu...

What role does a health system play in protecting women and girls from violence? I Believe You is a new podcast mini-series from WHO's Health In Europe, under the Special Initiative on Violence Against Women and Girls. Throughout the series, we talk with leaders from WHO, UNFPA and UN Women to explore what role health systems play in protecting women and girls from violence and what more can be done to make societies safer. In this first episode, we sit down with Dr Hans Kluge, WHO Regional D...