​Empowerment of the community and users of health services is central to SDC’s approach to health, rooted in The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Declaration of Alma Ata in 1978 on Primary Health Care (PHC), (WHO, 1978) and the later adopted Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion of 1986 (WHO, 1986).
Improving health and health services is not only a matter of concern for governments, but central to communities and individuals. Therefore SDC supports projects aiming at helping communities and individuals help themselves to adopt healthy lifestyles (health promotion and community action in health projects) and to hold national, regional and local authorities accountable for the availability and quality of health services.

In other words, SDC:

• supports Community Based Health services and initiatives
• promotes advocacy at all levels of the system to strengthen the voice and role of communities and the civil society in planning, implementation and monitoring of health services 
• fosters the complementary roles of communities and health care providers and the co-management of health services
• supports health promotion and behaviour change initiatives targeting and involving the poor and most vulnerable groups in society

These encompass medically, scientifically and culturally appropriate services that are gender sensitive and life-cycle requirements adapted, non discriminatory and respecting confidentiality.