| Issue/Objective |
Primary health care (PHC) is the bedrock of health systems, yet public-private partnerships (PPPs) have widened access gaps. In Canada, only 69% of recent immigrants report having a regular health care provider, and 23% have never had one (Statistics Canada, 2026). Youth bring passion and fresh perspectives, yet evidence from a 2025 scoping review shows adolescents are rarely involved in meaningful decision-making - and never in youth-led initiatives (Flodgren et al., 2025). This submission argues that meaningful youth involvement in PHC governance and PPP oversight is essential to reclaiming health equity, aligning with the conference theme of restoring commitment to action. |
| Methodology/Approach |
This conceptual submission draws on rights-based frameworks and the AAAQ criteria (availability, accessibility, acceptability, quality) (Hallo de Wolf & Toebes, 2016). It synthesizes lessons from community-led monitoring models (Baptiste et al., 2020) and documented failures of exclusionary governance. The analysis focuses on how PPP structures enable or block youth participation, and how migration-related marginalization intersects with PHC access, with a focus on the Canadian context. |
| Results |
Evidence shows: (1) youth are typically consulted but not empowered in policy processes (Flodgren et al., 2025); (2) states have a legal "obligation to protect" requiring regulation of private actors to ensure AAAQ (Hallo de Wolf & Toebes, 2016); (3) community-led monitoring improves service delivery and accountability when communities drive the agenda (Baptiste et al., 2020); and (4) migrant populations face persistent PHC access gaps (Statistics Canada, 2026). No studies have combined youth-led monitoring with PPP accountability mechanisms. |
| Discussion/Conclusion |
Reclaiming health equity requires moving beyond token youth consultation. Youth are ready to act, but structures exclude them. Applying community-led monitoring models which are collaborative, continuous, and advocacy-driven to PHC and PPP oversight could close access gaps for migrant populations while empowering youth as equal partners. Change may not be immediate, but action cannot wait. |
| Presenters and Affiliations |
Temi Akindele independent |
