Achieving Health Equity and Social Justice Through Music: Music as a Global Resource

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the history and mission of Music as a Global Resource (MAGR), a global initiative to facilitate using music to address critical social, economic and health issues. To date, successfully operating programmes show music to be a powerful, cost-effective strategy in five areas: sustainable community development, mental and physical health problems, working with trauma survivors, lifelong learning and peace building. Two UN landmark initiatives are also discussed in this chapter: the recently completed 15-year Millennium Development Goals initiative and the recently adopted 15-year Sustainable initiative. Initiatives such as these, together with the recommendations discussed in this chapter, should greatly expand the use of music to help achieve health equity, social justice and enhance the quality of life for all.