BACKGROUND:
Public health associations (PHAs) play a critical role in advocating for evidence-informed policies and practice that have positive impacts on population health and advance health equity. However, PHAs are operating in an increasingly hostile global context marked by political and commercial pressure, shrinking civic space and decreased funding, and the delegitimisation of independent civil society advocacy. This at a time when strong, credible public health voices are most needed.

OBJECTIVE:
The purpose of this organized session is to lay the groundwork for the production and publication of the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) Roadmap and Guidance Document to support member PHAs in strengthening their advocacy role and reinforcing their organisational sustainability and resilience.

METHODS:
This moderated panel of PHA representatives (possibly India, United States of America, South Africa, Brazil, Cameroon) will discuss the challenges facing PHAs in today’s world context, how PHAs are responding to the political and economic environments in which they exist and which are having an impact on their organizational capacities to operate and advocate, and the strategies being taken by PHAs to defend and ensure the resilience of their advocacy role to safeguard and improve population health within a framework of equity, inclusion and sustainability. The results of a member survey conducted by the WFPHA about the constraints faced by PHAs and the ways and means they are responding will be presented. The session will be co-moderated by James Chauvin (Canada/Québec) and Laetitia Rispel (South Africa). Expected Results Identification of common challenges, enabling factors, and promising practices for effective public health advocacy by public health associations. This will serve as input to the preparation of a roadmap to guide PHA advocacy which will be launched by the WFPHA during Global Public Health Week in April 2027.