Background

The Heidelberg Global Child Health - Working Group is an interdisciplinary team of experienced researchers and clinicians from diverse backgrounds in the fields of global and public child health, embedded with the Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH). The main purpose of the group is to conduct interdisciplinary research with the goal of improving the health and well-being of children worldwide.

The working group focuses on several key objectives to achieve its purpose:

1. Conducting evidence-based research to identify and address critical gaps in knowledge related to child health promotion. This involves conducting studies and analyzing data to gain insights into the factors that impact child health and well-being globally.
2. Advocacy work to promote child health and development. We work towards raising awareness about the importance of child health and the need for evidence-based interventions. Advocacy activities will include participating in policy discussions, presenting research findings to policymakers, and collaborating with stakeholders to drive positive change. We work towards ensuring that evidence-based research informs decision-making processes and contributes to the development of effective interventions, guidelines, and policies that positively impact children's health and well-being.
3. Capacity-building initiatives to build capacity in the field of child health by sharing knowledge and expertise between different child health related actors across levels and contexts. This can involve providing training and mentorship to researchers and healthcare professionals, supporting the development of research networks, and fostering collaborations between institutions and individuals working in the field of child health.
4. Developing innovative strategies and interventions that promote child health and development. By leveraging our interdisciplinary expertise, effective approaches to improve child health can be implemented across various settings and at different levels within health systems.

Our research takes a distinct and pioneering path by embracing child centeredness, which means we make it a priority to actively involve children, basing our work on the viewpoints and voices of children themselves. To achieve this, we are establishing the Global Child Health Youth Advisory Board (GCH-YAB) with the support of Dr. Maximilian Jungmann of the Heidelberg Center for the Environment (https://www.hce.uni-heidelberg.de/en/the-center/management-board)

Team Members

Nexus of Research Themes and Ongoing Projects