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 Community system

Introduction: Community is a widely used term that has no single or fxed

defnition. Broadly, communities are ormed by people who are connected to

each other in distinct and varied ways. Communities are diverse and dynamic.

One person may be part o more than one community. Community members

may be connected by living in the same area or by shared experiences, health

and other challenges, living situations, culture, religion, identity or values.

Community systems are community-led structures and mechanisms used by

communities through which community members and community-based

organizations and groups interact, coordinate and deliver their responses to the

challenges and needs aecting their communities. !any components o 

community systems are small-scale or inormal. Others are more extensive "

they may be networ#ed between several organizations and involve various

subsystems. $or example, a large care and support system may have distinct

subsystems or comprehensive home-based care, providing nutritional support,

counseling, advocacy, legal support, and reerrals or access to services andollow-up.

Content: Community systems are structures and mechanisms through whichcommunity members, community-based organizations and other actors respondto the challenges and needs they ace. Community organizations have a uni%ueability to identiy, understand and respond %uic#ly to the needs o those who aremade vulnerable as a result o social and structural actors, and who areaected by ine%uitable access to health and other basic services. &hey otenplay a role in delivering services 'particularly non acility-based health services,and other social services(, and they are also essential to ensuring that ormal

health systems are responsive to needs, in particular the needs o marginalizedgroups. )n some contexts, community actors have to operate outside o mainstream health systems in order to protect the health and human rights o people who are marginalized or criminalized " or example, undocumentedmigrants, sex wor#ers, sexual minorities or people who use drugs. &he *ix Core Components o Community *ystems are+ Enabling environments and advocacy " including communityengagement and advocacy or improving the policy, legal and governanceenvironments, and aecting the social determinants o health

Community networks, linkages, partnerships and coordinationenabling eective activities, service delivery and advocacy, maximizing

resources and impacts, and coordinated, collaborative wor#ing Resources and capacity building " including human resources withappropriate personal, technical organizational capacities, fnancing 'includingoperational and core unding( and material resources 'inrastructure, inormationand essential commodities, including medical and other products andtechnologies(

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  Community activities and service delivery " accessible to all who needthem, evidenceinormed and based on community assessments o resourcesand needs

Organizational and leadership strengthening including management,accountability and leadership or organizations and community systems

Monitoring evaluation and planning including !/ systems, situationassessment, evidence building and research, learning, planning and #nowledgemanagement.

Conclusion: *trong community systems play an important role in acilitating

community participation in+ design, implementation and evaluation o programs

and services advocacy creation o demand or good-%uality health services and

e%uitable access addressing broader determinants o health including gender

ine%ualities and human rights and promoting meaningul community

engagement in health-related governance, oversight and accountability. 0s

such, community action on health is an important complement to clinical oracility based health services, as it helps to ensure the right people are reached

or maximum impact, and that broader determinants o health are addressed.

*upport to community systems also builds ownership o health problems, and

through this ownership communities articulate solutions and play an important

role in implementing them.