SOPHE code of ethics - some reflections

REFLECTIONS OVER THE SOPHE CODE OF ETHICS
http://www.sophe.org/about/ethics.html
After reading the SOPHE Code of Ethics my main impression is that this is a thorough document covering many important areas. We can discuss this document in more detail at a later stage. But for now, I just wish to share some questions the code created in me:

1. Codes of ethics are said to build on an organization’s shared values. Still, in article I section 8 the rights of others to hold diverse values are underscored. Is this a conflict?

2. Article I section 2 claims that health educators facilitate the ‘best balance of benefits over harm for all affected parties’ – maximum benefit. Philosophically, this may be in conflict to the ‘no harm’ principle which is underscored in article V section 1.

In one way, I know this is just details – but still I think this is important for us to consider. In many ways, I feel that a comprehensive CoE must cover so many areas that it is bound to ‘bite its own tail’ at some point – to become self-contradictory. This raises the question of what we mean to achieve by having a CoE. Is it meant to be a document by which we present health promotion to the world, or is it meant to be of guidance to health promoters in their research and practice? How detailed and how comprehensive should a code be? How general, how specific? I believe it is possible to put down an endless amount of work in a code that no one will ever put to any use. A long and very general code will cover most situations and cultures, but might become too ‘heavy’ to be of any practical use.

How do we make a code that we can communicate to the diverse world of health promoters? Which kind of structure can we have to make it easy to remember and adhere to, like key principles? What should be the scope of it, who are we making it for?

There you are – I’m just raising a lot of questions. I think we are well into our process!

Torill