Sanitary Conventions

What is the Sanitary Convention?

The Sanitary Convention is an international health agreement that was concluded within the framework of the League of Nations in the 25th year after the First World War, in 1924. It was signed by representatives of 51 countries and replaced previous Sanitary and Political Conventions that were drawn up in the 18th and 19th centuries. This convention was created to ensure the improvement and maintenance of public health and infrastructure, as well as to regulate international travel and economic relations between countries.

Why is it necessary to monitor compliance with sanitary conventions? Violations of health conventions can lead to economic, social and political consequences. For example, when water sources are contaminated or hygiene practices in transport and trade are compromised, this can lead to poor health, illness and increased mortality. In addition, such violations can negatively affect global economic relations, since the development of tourism and trade between different countries directly depends on the cleanliness of the environment. Violations of sanitary rules, widespread throughout the world, create obstacles to international trade and complicate other types of international cooperation. Moreover, all this reduces trust between states, which leads to isolation of countries and undermines international efforts