Brundtland Quotes & Sayings

We must follow the wisdom of the Brundtland Report. We must pursue development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. — Ban Ki-moon

Let me first say that I don't think the millennium target of cutting global poverty in half is an impossible or abstract target. I think it is a real and achievable goal. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

Morality becomes hypocrisy if it means accepting mothers' suffering or dying in connection with unwanted pregnancies and illegal abortions and unwanted children. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

We are also in the process of defining how best to work together with food and other companies to address diet and physical activity factors in order to prevent chronic diseases. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

Women power is a formidable force. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

Today osteoporosis affects more than 75 million people in the United States, Europe and Japan and causes more than 2.3 million fractures in the USA and Europe alone. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

An important lever for sustained action in tackling poverty and reducing hunger is money. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

The dual scourge of hunger and malnutrition will be truly vanquished not only when granaries are full, but also when people's basic health needs are met and women are given their rightful role in societies. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

I do not know of any environmental group in any country that does not view its government as an adversary. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

We are working towards a shared vision of the future for health among all the world's people. A vision future in which we develop new ways of working together at global and national level. A vision which has poor people and poor communities at its centre. And a vision which focuses action on the causes and consequences of the health conditions that create and perpetuate poverty. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

This is a historic moment in global public health, demonstrating the international will to tackle a threat to health head on. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

During my nearly five years as director-general of WHO, high-level policymakers have increasingly recognized that health is central to sustainable development. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

The climate challenge illustrates how we have to change. The developing countries need more support and opportunities to develop and use clean energy. Because if the current situation continues, then the world will not be able to handle this burden. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

Investing in health will produce enormous benefits. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

The launch of the report coincides with the initiation by WHO of the global strategy for the prevention and control of osteoporosis, and I think a good partnership could be established in our common efforts to prevent osteoporosis. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

You cannot tackle hunger, disease, and poverty unless you can also provide people with a healthy ecosystem in which their economies can grow. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

Intervention for the prevention and control of osteoporosis should comprise a combination of legislative action, educational measures, health service activities, media coverage, and individual counselling to initiate changes in behaviour. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

I have repeatedly stressed that we have the knowledge
to reduce hunger and poverty. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

Contaminated food is a major cause of diarrhea, substantially contributing to malnutrition and killing about 2.2 million people each year, most of them children. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

A cigarette is the only consumer product which when used as directed kills its consumer. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

When public and private sectors combine intellectual and other resources, more can be achieved. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

Although approximately 80% of osteoporosis sufferers are women, as the longevity of the male population increases, the disease will assume increasing importance in men. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

The diagnosis is clear, the science in unequivocal-it's completely immoral, even, to question now, on the basis of what we know, the reports that are out, to question the issue and to question whether we need to move forward at a much stronger pace as humankind to address the issues. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

The development of the food industry for both domestic and export markets relies on a regulatory framework that both protects the consumer and assures fair trading practices in food. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

That the AIDS pandemic is threatening sustainable development in Africa only reinforces the reality that health is at the center of sustainable development. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

Health is the core of human development. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

This syndrome, SARS, is now a worldwide health threat ... The world needs to work together to find its cause, cure the sick and stop its spread. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

The burden of disease falls on the poor. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

More than ever before, there is a global understanding that long-term social, economic, and environmental development would be impossible without healthy families, communities, and countries. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

It's very difficult to evaluate a leader in a very short-term perspective because to be a leader you must be able to have a long-term perspective. You must be able to carry changes which take many years. And this is why you can really only see whether it has been a good leadership after some years have passed. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

Since the reduction of risk factors is the scientific basis for primary prevention, the World Health Organization promotes the development of an integrated strategy for prevention of several diseases, rather than focusing on individual ones. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

In the face of an absolutely unprecedented emergency, society has no choice but to take dramatic action to avert a collapse of civilization. Either we will change our ways and build an entirely new kind of global society, or they will be changed for us. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

This double burden of disease is rapidly putting a serious brake on the development efforts of many countries. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

In recognising the global problem posed by osteoporosis, WHO sees the need for a global strategy for prevention and control of osteoporosis, focusing on three major functions: prevention, management and surveillance. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

I have seen this happen in recent years with regard to pharmaceuticals and vaccines, where, working together, we are improving access to medicines and vaccines for infectious diseases in the poorest countries. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

Never have so many had such broad and advanced access to health care. But never have so many been denied access to health. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

Such lifestyle factors such as cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, little physical activity and low dietary calcium intake are risk factors for osteoporosis as well as for many other non-communicable diseases. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

Cancers of all types among women are increasing. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

There is a very close connection between being a doctor and a politician. The doctor tries to prevent illness, then tries to treat it if it comes. It's exactly the same as what you try to do as a politician, but with regard to society. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

We have seen SARS stopped dead in its tracks. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

You cannot achieve environmental security and human development without addressing the basic issues of health and nutrition. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in women. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

The myth that men are the economic providers and women, mainly, are mothers and care givers in the family has now been thoroughly refuted. This family pattern has never been the norm, except in a narrow middle-class segment. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

With an annual investment of $66 billion by 2007, we can save 8 million lives each year. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

Women's health is one of WHO's highest priorities. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

Osteoporosis, as the third threat, is particularly attributable to women's physiology. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

There can be no real growth without healthy populations. No sustainable development without tackling disease and malnutrition. No international security without assisting crisis-ridden countries. And no hope for the spread of freedom, democracy and human dignity unless we treat health as a basic human right. — Gro Harlem Brundtland

To change societies you need to organize with others who share your views. — Gro Harlem Brundtland