Global Campaign - From people to leaders! Act on AMR NOW!

From People to Leaders: Global civil society unites to tackle antimicrobial resistance at UNGA in New York!

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In a powerful display of global solidarity, civil society organizations, community representatives, and health experts from around the world gathered in New York on 24 September to voice their concerns and demands to world leaders attending the United Nations High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).

The event, being part of the global campaign From People to Leaders: Act on AMR NOW!, highlighted several key themes:
• The critical role of community-led initiatives in combating AMR
• The need for a One Health approach, considering human, animal, and environmental health
• The importance of evidence-informed policy and capacity building
• The urgent need for increased investment in public awareness and healthcare infrastructure
• The vital role of civil society in holding governments accountable and driving action on AMR

Co-organizers: ReAct, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), AMR Policy Accelerator, Antibiotic Smart Sweden, Center for Science and Environment (CSE),  Brazilian Institute for Consumer Protection (IDEC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Mouvement Universel pour la Survie de l’Humanite (MUSUHUM), Service, Health and Development for People living positively with HIV/AIDS (SHDEPHA+), The AMR Narrative, WaterAid

Unique perspectives to the AMR challenge

From left: Angela Uyen-Cateriano, MSF, Julia Bishop, Global Strategy Lab, Ana Maria Maya, Brazil’s Institute for Consumers Defense, Gabriella Kepa, medical microbiologist Papua New Guinea, Sunita Narain, India’s Center for Science and Environment and Tracy Muraya, ReAct Africa. Photo: ReAct

Dr Andrea Caputo, Global Health Advisor, ReAct, moderating the event, emphasized the disproportionate impact of AMR on vulnerable populations and stressed the need for community-driven solutions. He called for a whole-of-society response to this growing global health crisis.

The event featured a diverse panel of experts, each bringing unique perspectives to the AMR challenge.

  • Tracy Muraya from ReAct Africa discussed innovative approaches to engage youth in AMR awareness.
  • Dr Angela Uyen-Cateriano from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) outlined the organization’s work on antimicrobial stewardship across 20 countries.
  • Ana Maria Maya from Brazil’s Institute for Consumers Defense highlighted the importance of consumer awareness and political commitment in addressing AMR.
  • Julia Bishop of the Global Strategy Lab emphasized the need for evidence-informed policy and capacity building in AMR policymaking.
  • Gabriella Kepa, a medical microbiologist from Port Moresby General Hospital, Papua New Guinea, shared sobering insights into the high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant infections in hospitals and stressed the critical need for investment in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in healthcare facilities.
  • Sunita Narain from India’s Center for Science and Environment (CSE) brought attention to the environmental aspects of AMR, emphasizing the connection between AMR and food systems, climate change, and biodiversity. She highlighted the challenges in addressing industrial farming’s role in AMR and called for a focus on prevention, especially in low and middle-income countries.
Rabia Khaji from SHDEPHA+ in Tanzania shared the devastating effects of AMR on communities affected by tuberculosis and HIV. Photo: ReAct

A highlight of the event was the testimony of Rabia A. Khaji, a community representative from Tanzania and Service, Health and Development for People living positively with HIV/AIDS (SHDEPHA+). Khaji shed light on the devastating effects of AMR on communities affected by tuberculosis and HIV. She passionately advocated for increased investment in public awareness campaigns, equitable access to affordable diagnostics, and stronger healthcare systems.

Handover ceremony: list of signatures!

Rabia Khaji, SHDEPHA+, handed over the list of signatures to Cara Gala, representing the permanent mission of Malta to the United Nations. Photo: ReAct.

The event culminated in a symbolic handover ceremony, where Rabia Khaji from SHDEPHA+ presented From People to Leaders: Act on AMR NOW! Call for Global Action with over 190 signatures from civil society groups and communities around the world to Cara Gala, representing the permanent mission of Malta to the United Nations. The signatures were collected as part of the People to Leaders: Act on AMR Now! global campaign that seeks to bring the voices of communities and grassroots groups on AMR to the attention of global policy makers.

Find full list och communities and civil society groups that signed From People to Leaders: Act on AMR NOW!  Call for Global Action

Conclusion by Otto Cars

Professor Otto Cars, founder of ReAct, got a very warm and long applause when he entered the stage. Photo: ReAct.

Professor Otto Cars, founder of ReAct, provided concluding remarks, reflecting on the progress made in AMR awareness since 2005. He emphasized the need for sustained funding and policies prioritizing community involvement, calling on governments to deliver on their commitments to support civil society engagement in AMR responses.

Time to act is now!


Supporters of the campaign: Hear a few voices from across the globe! 

The overall message of the event was clear: the time act is now, and communities must be at the heart of the global response to AMR. As the world faces the growing threat of AMR, this event served as a powerful reminder of the strength that lies in global solidarity and community action. It set the stage for continued collaboration between civil society, governments, and international organizations in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.

Access the agenda and the recording of the side-event

Photos from the side-event and exhibition

Side-event

From People to Leaders: Act on AMR NOW! Photo: ReAct.
There were many questions from the audience. Here Masika Sophie, World Federation for Animals. Photo: ReAct.
Cara Gala, representing the permanent mission of Malta to the United Nation. Photo: ReAct.
Milka Sokolovic from European Public Health Alliance (EPHA). Photo: ReAct.
Happy and energized panel participants. Photo: ReAct.

Tracie Muraya, ReAct Africa, engaged as a speaker and as audience. Photo: ReAct.
Andreas Sandgren, Public Health Agency Sweden, enjoyed the energizing meeting and inspiring exhibition. Photo: ReAct.

Exhibition

Theme: Equity, diversity & communities – leaders act on AMR now!

Large, colorful posters from the global campaign From People to Leaders: Act on AMR NOW! – part of the exhibition by various stakeholders. Photo: ReAct.
Happy organizers in front of the theatrical performance called Dancing with Bacteria, produced by ReAct Latin America. Photo: ReAct.

More about Dancing with Bacteria including link to watch the performance on Youtube.

During the exhibition ReAct’s contribution to the just released TV-program: Defending Our Health: Unravelling Antimicrobial Resistance was shown on a screen.. Produced by Independent Television News (ITN) Business. Photo: ITN Business.

Learn more and see ReAct’s film and the full TV-program

Otto Cars, founder of ReAct, Dr. Martha Gyansa-Lutterordt and Tapiwa Kujinga, PATAM in front of Beckman’s College of Design posters. Photo: ReAct
Beckman’s College of Design contributed with 10 posters from a project about antibiotic resistance called: Are We There Yet? Photo: Beckmans.

More about the Beckman’s student-project Are We There Yet?

Entering the second floor of the exhibition. From People to Leaders t-shirts and PAHO roll-up. Photo: ReAct.
MSF contributed with three engaging and dramatic portraits of patients and health care personell. Photo: ReAct.
The AMR Narrative. Voices together for AMR. Founder Vanessa Carter suffered severely from drug-resistant bacteria, now she advocates for stronger action on antibiotic resistance. Photo: ReAct.
Women Are Watching, from White Ribbon Alliance. A campaign released during UNGA 2024. Photo: White Ribbon Alliance.
The full Women Are Watching campaign include 300 portraits from across the globe. Photo: ReAct
At the From People to Leaders exhibition you found 5 of the 300 portraits. Photo: White Ribbon Alliance.
Contribution to the exhibition from White Ribbon Alliance. Photo: ReAct.

More about the campaign Women Are Watching.

Antibiotic Smart Sweden is a collaborative initiative aiming to inspire and motivate different actors in Swedish society to participate in efforts to address antibiotic resistance. Photo: ReAct.

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