PHM-Exch> Opening the door to Business lobbying-what's wrong with the new WHO policy proposals

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Patti Rundall <prundall at babymilkaction.org>

Press release

*Opening the door to Business lobbying-what's wrong with the new WHO policy
proposals*

26th March 2014

online <http://info.babymilkaction.org/pressrelease/pressrelease26mar14>:
http://info.babymilkaction.org/pressrelease/pressrelease26mar14

WHO has published a draft proposal for a set Framework and set of policies
to address its engagement with Non Sate
Actors<http://www.who.int/about/who_reform/non-state-actors/en/>
(NSAs). Member
States are being invited to discuss these proposals at WHO's HQ in Geneva
on 27th and 28th March. Public Interest NGOs are not invited.   IBFAN has
been following the process closely and finds serious flaws, inconsistencies
and contradictions in the proposals.

Despite the many statements of WHO's Director General, Margaret Chan, that
WHO's policies, norms and standards setting processes should be protected
from commercial influence, if the new proposals were to be adopted, the
corporate influence would increase. IBFAN fears that this would compromise
WHO's integrity, independence and its ability to fulfil its mandate.

In particular, the proposals introduce a new risky element, allowing
Official Relations status, with all its related privileges, for
International Business Associations.  Up to now, if businesses wanted to
attend governing body meetings in order to lobby Member States delegations,
they could wear a public badge, or, if they wanted to speak, inveigle their
way onto government delegations. Some, over the years have slipped through
WHO's admission procedures, pretending to be NGOs.[1] The new proposals
open the door wide to participation by any business member of these
Associations, except tobacco or arms companies. This would, in effect,
legitimize businesses lobbying role at WHO's global
policy-setting meetings  - the very thing that WHO alleges that it is
trying to avoid. In addition to turning WHO governing bodies meetings into
multi-stakeholder public-private gatherings, the proposals would also allow
businesses greater engagement at programme level, through agreed 3-year
plans with WHO.

Lida Lhotska, IBFAN NGO Liaison to WHO says:
*"If these new policy proposals are adopted, IBFAN fears that WHO will be
unable to lead and support Member States in taking the bold decisions
necessary to tackle global health challenges.  For example, irresponsible
marketing is a major underlying cause of Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
In tackling NCDs, acknowledged to be a major threat to public health, will
WHO prefer to engage in partnerships with corporations, who would prefer
 campaigns for promoting 'slightly better for you products'- or will WHO
help Member States bring in legally-binding controls that truly protect
right to health of their citizens?" *
-END-

For more information contact:
Lida Lhotska, IBFAN's WHO Liaison Office:  lida.lhotska at gifa.org
Patti Rundall: Co-Chair of IBFAN Global Council:
prundall at babymilkaction.org  07786 523493


[1] Business front groups that have managed to gain Official NGO
status:  International Special Dietary Foods Industries (ISDI, representing
the baby feeding industry) ISDI lost this status in January 2014, Croplife
International (representing Monsanto, Syngenta, Bayer, CropScience, Dow
Agrosciences, DuPont and other companies promoting GMO technologies ),
International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI, representing Nestlé, Coca
Cola, Kellogg, Pepsi, Monsanto, Ajinomoto, Danone, General Mills and
others)  and the Industry Council for Development (representing Nestlé,
Mars, Unilever and Ajinomoto).
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