Summary Description
WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.
Website: http://www.who.int/
Aim & Objectives
The objective of the World Health Organization shall be the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health (Art. 1 of Constitution of the World Health Organization.)
WHO operates in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing landscape. The boundaries of public health action have become blurred, extending into other sectors that influence health opportunities and outcomes. WHO responds to these challenges using a six-point agenda (details at http://www.who.int/about/agenda/en/index.html):
- Promoting development
- Fostering health security
- Strengthening health systems
- Harnessing research, information and evidence
- Enhancing partnerships
- Improving performance
Claims & Core Values
Nine principles, listed in the preamble to Constitution of the World Health Organization, are basic to the happiness, harmonious relations and security of all peoples.
Participation in Interactions
The functions allocated to WHO are listed under http://www.actor-atlas.info/treaty:constitution-of-the-who#toc7
Programmes and Projects
See the list at: http://www.who.int/entity/en/
Covered in this Actor Atlas:
Workers' Health Global Plan of Action (2008-2017)
Contracts and Constraints
Constitution of the World Health Organization, establishing the WHO as a specialized agency within the terms of Article 57 of the Charter of the United Nations.
A list of basic documents and their contents is provided at http://apps.who.int/gb/bd/
Strategic Themes
What long-term themes matter for these actors?
Strategic Plans
These are agreed in the World Health Assembly meetings, with resolutions, decisions and summary records at http://apps.who.int/gb/or/ .
Roles & Resources
Processes are in support of the functions and role described at http://www.who.int/collaboratingcentres/cc_historical/en/index2.html
Information Systems
The WHO Collaborating Centres Database
Full details at: http://apps.who.int/whocc/Default.aspx
Data and Statistics
A number of databases and statistical information systems related to health are available here: http://www.who.int/research/en/
Operations
From the allocated functions and role described at http://www.who.int/collaboratingcentres/cc_historical/en/index2.html, functions b, d, e, g, h, i, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, v
Monitoring & Evaluation
Functions f,
Change
Functions a, c, j, k, s, t, u,
Issues
What are the current issues?
What past issues have been resolved recently?
Related Bodies and Agencies
Members
All countries which are Members of the United Nations may become members of WHO by accepting its Constitution. Members are listed here: http://www.who.int/countries/en/
World Health Assembly
The supreme decision-making body for WHO. It generally meets in Geneva in May each year, and is attended by delegations from all 193 Member States. Its main function is to determine the policies of the Organization. The Health Assembly appoints the Director-General, supervises the financial policies of the Organization, and reviews and approves the Proposed programme budget.
The Executive Board
The Executive Board is composed of 34 individuals technically qualified in the field of health, each one designated by a Member State elected to do so by the World Health Assembly. Member States are elected for three-year terms.
Details at: http://www.who.int/governance/eb/en/index.html
WHO Collaborating Centres
The WHO collaborating centres are institutions such as research institutes, parts of universities or academies, which are designated by the Director-General to carry out activities in support of the Organization's programmes. Currently there are over 800 WHO collaborating centres in over 80 Member States working with WHO on areas such as nursing, occupational health, communicable diseases, nutrition, mental health, chronic diseases and health technologies.
url: http://www.who.int/collaboratingcentres/en/index.html
functions and role: http://www.who.int/collaboratingcentres/cc_historical/en/index2.html
