Community engagement

Community engagement for health equity is based on meaningful and authentic existing and ongoing relationships with communities, which is a core public health practice,^{South J, Phillips G. Evaluating community engagement as part of the public health system1} allowing people who live with inequities to influence health system priorities^{Attree P, French B, Milton B, Povall S, Whitehead M, Popay J. The experience of community engagement for individuals3} and inform decisions about population and public health initiatives.^{Reyes D, Meyer K. Identifying community priorities for neighborhood livability: engaging neighborhood residents2} Public health considers community members as partners^{World Health Organization. The Helsinki statement on Health in All Policies [Internet]. Geneva (Switzerland): WHO; 20134}  rather than ‘service recipients’, recognizing that community members know best about what they need to be healthy and the solutions to address inequities.^{South J, Phillips G. Evaluating community engagement as part of the public health system1}