EFA has been selected as a member of the newly-established WHO’s Civil Society Commission (CSC), to contribute to the WHO’s initiative of deepening and strengthening the engagement with civil societies at global, regional and national level, by bringing the experience of patients’ representatives to the table.
The WHO CSC was launched in 2023 with the role of fostering collaboration between the WHO and civil society at all levels to achieve health for all, fulfil the objectives of the WHO General Programme of Work, and work towards the UN sustainable Development Goals execution. The Commission consists of a Steering Committee, a General Meeting and Working Groups.
As established by the WHO CSC Steering Committee, the initial priorities of the Commission are the following:
- Establish systems and good governance mechanisms for the WHO CSC;
- Engage civil society in the work of the Commission, particularly through working groups;
- Contribute to the development of an engagement strategy between the WHO and the civil societies, and implement the strategy at country, national and global levels;
- Ensure meaningful civil society engagement on key WHO activities, including the development of WHO’s General Programme of Work;
- Enhance mutual understanding of how each entity works and ‘de-mystify- the role of civil societies in addressing health issues;
- Meaningfully engage with the WHO Youth Council and other civil society groups to find areas of common interest and alignment.
EFA’s focal point at the WHO Civil Society Commission is Director Susanna Palkonen. EFA is looking forward to working together with all stakeholders involved in the WHO Civil Society Commission while taking the WHO collaboration to a new level of meaningful engagement and cooperation for health.