The WHO European Healthy Cities Network consists of cities around the WHO European Region that are committed to health and sustainable development: nearly 100 cities and towns from 30 countries. They are also linked through national, regional, metropolitan and thematic Healthy Cities networks. A city joins the WHO European Healthy Cities Network based on criteria that are renewed every five years.
Each five-year phase focuses on core priority themes and is launched with a political declaration and a set of strategic goals. The overarching goal of the current Phase VI (2014–2018) is implementing Health 2020 at the local level.
The following two strategic goals of Health 2020 provide the overarching umbrella of Phase VI:
improving health for all and reducing health inequities; and
improving leadership and participatory governance for health.
Both strategic goals reinforce the strong standing commitment of the WHO European Network to addressing equity and the social determinants of health and striving to improve governance for health and promote health in all policies.
Phase VI is supported by Health 2020.
Healthy Cities is a global movement, with networks established in all six WHO regions.