Health literacy makes a fundamentally important contribution to safeguarding the human rights principle of equitable access to healthcare, especially when existing healthcare resources are less accessible to certain populations due to their circumstances.
Health literacy, the ability of individuals to find, understand, and use health information, is key to building fair, resilient, and rights-based health systems. Yet, nearly half of Europeans face challenges in accessing or navigating health information and services, especially among the most vulnerable, which widens inequalities and increases societal costs.
The Council of Europe supports its member states to improve access to health information and services, and bring decision-making closer to people, by engaging institutions and focusing on the health needs of vulnerable groups.
As part of this support and to address this challenge in Armenia, a two-day targeted capacity-building workshop was organised by the Council of Europe focusing on strengthening the relationship between institutions and citizens and on promoting building more accessible and inclusive health systems. The activity improved understanding of a wide range of professionals from public institutions, representatives from civil society, healthcare and legal professionals and journalists covering healthcare field on key health literacy principles and its practical application. Participants explored how to provide clearer health information, support informed decision-making regarding treatments and care, and the use of digital health services, and ensure that services are accessible to all, including vulnerable groups.
Through practical exercises and guided discussions, participants improved communication skills and developed concrete approaches to facilitate more effective interaction with the public, resulting in increased trust in public institutions. The initiative was guided by the Council of Europe standards, including the European Social Charter and the Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine (Oviedo Convention) and built on the Council of Europe Guide to health literacy.
The event was organised by the Council of Europe as part of its Project “Protection of Human Rights in Biomedicine III”, implemented within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023-2026.
