On January 13, 2000, the Bone and Joint Decade was formally launched at the headquarters of the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland for . This comes on the heels of the November 30, 1999 endorsement by the United Nations.
The goal of the Bone and Joint Decade is to improve the health- related quality of life for people with musculoskeletal disorders throughout the world. These disorders are common causes of severe long-term pain and physical disability, affecting hundreds of millions of people across the world. The Decade's goal will be achieved by:
_Raising awareness of the growing burden of musculoskeletal disorders on society
_Empowering patients to participate in their own care
_Promoting cost-effective prevention and treatment
_Advancing understanding of musculoskeletal disorders through research to improve prevention and treatment
Quoted from http://www.boneandjointdecade.org/