About Us

The work of UPVHA is focused on human rights, especially related to women, children, bonded labour, the displaced and the marginalised. UPVHA is intensively working on issues related to consumer protection, gender discrimination, female foeticide, improving people's access to of primary health services. For achieving these UPVHA conducts need based training, research, campaign, advocacy and lobbying.

UPVHA generally does not carry out community health programmes directly but reaches the community especially the vulnerable through its member voluntary organisations. The focus of the programmes is on strengthening members in rendering services and working for empowerment of the community.

It takes up lobbying and advocacy with the government and related stakeholders for ensuring health needs of the community in general and the vulnerable in particular. Lobbying and advocacy related activities are being strengthened with appropriate research and documentation done through the network.
Over a period of time credibility of UPVHA as a resource centre has grown. Many a non-member voluntary organisations have also come up with request for training and educational material. Many government departments are also seeking UPVHA's help in implementation of their programmes. As a result UPVHA is implementing RCH project as Mother NGO with support from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. In addition UPVHA has also been approached by UP Health System Development Project to be in the selection committee for identifying voluntary organisations for implementation of health projects in remote and under or unserved areas of the state.

Recently the member organisations have taken a unanimous decision to create enough space for UPVHA so as to enable it to take up a non-direct role in the most neglected area of community health in the state without altering the democratic functioning of the organisation. UPVHA will continue working for community health and development by building capacity of members, information dissemination, documentation and action research. Due attention will be paid to conducting campaign on issues of health, namely reproductive rights, health rights and occupational health. In addition lobbying and advocacy will be done at different levels to ensure that pro-people policies are framed and action is taken to improve the health scenario in the state.

The main co-travellers of UPVHA are:

• Member voluntary organisations
• Other networks
• Government departments
• Educational and research institutions
• Non-member voluntary organisations
• Campaign partners
• Elected representatives of people
• Intellectuals, academicians and like minded individuals
• International organisations