Since 1995, the Pan American Health Organization, Regional Office of the World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), promotes the Health-Promoting Schools Regional Initiative with the intention of strengthening and updating the capacity of the countries of the Latin America and the Caribbean Region in the school health area with an integrated approach.

The purpose of the Initiative is to form future generations with the knowledge, abilities, and necessary skills so that they can promote and care for their health, that of their family, and the community, as well as creating and maintaining study, work and healthy communities environments.

As such, the Regional Initiative supports Member States in the development and execution of health promotion and education activities within and near the school environment, where boys, girls, teenagers, parents, professors and other members of the community live, learn, work and play.

The main objective of the BVSDE- Health-Promoting Schools is to compile and disseminate information generated within the framework of the Health-Promoting Schools Regional Initiative.