The Charter

The signatories to this charter agree to work together to promote, protect and improve the health and wellbeing of the people of Christchurch.

We believe that by working together we will be able to achieve more than we could separately.

Principles

We agree that the following principles will guide our actions:

  • Health is a state of physical, mental, spiritual, social, environmental, and economic wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease
  • All sectors, organisations, groups and people have a role to play in creating a healthy city
  • Successful collaborations are based on openness, trust and accountability, where the individual role, identity and autonomy of each party is respected
  • The Ottawa Charter provides a common framework for health promotion internationally
  • Te Tiriti o Waitangi is the founding document of Aotearoa - New Zealand and central to health and well-being in this country.

Protocols

The signatories undertake to:

  • Communicate and consult with one another in a flexible and open way, using appropriate methods and allowing reasonable time for response.
  • Promote a commitment to health and wellbeing locally, nationally, and internationally.
  • Meet regularly to address issues of mutual concern, develop priorities and plan the activities of the Healthy Christchurch initiative.
  • Develop cross-sectoral and inter-agency strategies setting out how we will undertake planned activities.
  • Contribute to the Healthy Christchurch initiative according to our means, and value the differing contributions made by each sector, organisation, group and person.
  • Ensure our own organisation's policies and programmes have a positive impact on health and well-being.
  • Respect existing networks and partnerships, and seek to work with these.
  • Jointly monitor and evaluate the impact of Healthy Christchurch on an annual basis through the Charter signatory forum.
  • Share responsibility for the outcomes from joint activities of the Healthy Christchurch initiative.

Download a PDF version of the Charter [39kb]

If your agency wishes to sign the Charter, you will need to download and complete the New Signatories Form

The current signatories