PHM-Exch> WHO financing and governance - democratic pathways for a sustainable leadership in global health

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Thomas Schwarz MMI <schwarz at medicusmundi.org>

………………………….
WHO financing and governance: Democratic pathways for a sustainable
leadership in global health. Briefing for delegates and other members of
the public health community attending the 65th World Health Assembly.
Wednesday 23rd May 2012, 17:30 to 19:30 at the Palais des Nations, Geneva,
Room IX, 3rd floor.
………………………….

In 2011, the World Health Organization (WHO) set out to reform itself, a
process why may result in repositioning the agency's function in global
health and reshaping the way in which the WHO is governed, managed and
financed. It is critical to ensure that this important initiative does not
compromise the leading, coordinating and norm-setting role of the WHO
enshrined in the agency's Constitution.

Initially the WHO played a unique role in promoting health as a basic human
right, but since the end of the '80s the organization has been increasingly
side-lined by various trade and competition rules. In this way health and
other fundamental human rights have come to be regarded as subject to
availability of finance, rather than as basic non-negotiable rights.

The WHO reform is a complex process and it has much to do with the role of
the UN - and multilateralism - in today’s world. Priority setting,
management and governance issues - today at the heart of the WHO reform -
are profoundly intertwined issues. The way these three pillars of the WHO
are designed and negotiated in the future bears significant political
implications.

Public interest civil society organizations have historically played a key
role in promoting the right to health and the constitutional role of the
WHO. Today they are striving to ensure that - through the reform - the WHO
will significantly improve its work as a multilateral organization pursuing
its public policy agenda for global health, with democratic governance, and
protected from undue influence from vested interests.

The WHA side event on 23 May 2012 hosted by the Medicus Mundi International
Network (MMI) for the Democratising Global Health Coalition on the WHO
Reform (DGH) will provide the venue for an open and public dialogue on
issues that civil society organizations consider critical for building a
healthy future for the WHO. The panel will also present some ways forward to
be considered by member states to ensure WHO's policy leadership on health,
its ultimate responsibility.

............
The meeting will be in English. Cocktail reception to follow.
No registration required - save the date! Program details will be published
soon
Event website: www.bit.ly/65wha-whoreform-sideevent

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Organizer of the event:
Democratising Global Health Coalition on the WHO Reform (DGH)
http://bit.ly/dgh-overview

............
Contact:
Nicoletta Dentico, nicolettadentico at libero.it (DGH: program development)
Thomas Schwarz, schwarz at medicusmundi.org (MMI: organizational aspects)
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