BASIC
DOCUMENTS
Forty-ninth edition
Including amendments adopted
up to 31 May 2019
2020
Basic documents: forty-ninth edition (including amendments adopted up to 31 May 2019)
ISBN 978-92-4-000051-3 (electronic version)
ISBN 978-92-4-000052-0 (print version)
© World Health Organization 2020
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– iii –
CONTENTS
Page
Constitution of the World Health Organization ........................... 1
Rights and Obligations of Associate Members and other Territories
1. Health Assembly and Executive Board ............................. 21
2. Regional Organizations ...................................................... 22
Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized
Agencies. ............................................................................... 25
Annex VII – The World Health Organization ....................... 39
Agreements with other Intergovernmental Organizations
Agreement between the World Health Organization and the
Pan American Health Organization .................................. 41
Agreement between the United Nations and the World Health
Organization ..................................................................... 44
Agreement between the International Labour Organisation
and the World Health Organization ................................. 53
Agreement between the Food and Agriculture Organization of
the United Nations and the World Health Organization... 57
Agreement between the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization and the
World Health Organization .............................................. 61
Agreement between the International Atomic Energy Agency
and the World Health Organization ................................. 66
Agreement between the International Fund for Agricultural
Development and the World Health Organization ........... 71
Agreement between the United Nations Industrial Development
Organization and the World Health Organization ............ 75
Agreement between the World Health Organization and the
Universal Postal Union .................................................... 78
Agreement between the Office International des Épizooties
and the World Health Organization ................................. 81
Agreement between the Commission of the African Union
and the World Health Organization ................................. 85
Agreement between the World Health Organization and the
South Centre ..................................................................... 92
(Continued overleaf)
iv
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Page
Framework of Engagement with Non-State Actors ..................... 97
Financial Regulations of the World Health Organization ........... 137
Appendix: Additional terms of reference governing the
external audit of the World Health Organization ............. 146
Staff Regulations of the World Health Organization................... 149
Regulations for Expert Advisory Panels and Committees ........... 155
Annex – Rules of Procedure for Expert Committees ............. 161
Regulations for Study and Scientific Groups, Collaborating
Institutions and Other Mechanisms of Collaboration ............ 165
Rules of Procedure of the World Health Assembly ..................... 173
Guiding Principles for the Conduct of Elections by
Secret Ballot ..................................................................... 204
Description of the Concept of a Point of Order ..................... 205
Rules of Procedure of the Executive Board of the World Health
Organization .......................................................................... 207
ANNEXES
1. Members of the World Health Organization ........................... 227
2. Statute of the International Agency for Research on Cancer ... 233
____________
Note: In accordance with resolution WHA57.8 (2004), the use of one
gender in Basic documents shall be considered as including a
reference to the other unless the context otherwise requires.
Pursuant to decisions WHA72(21) (2019) and EB144(4)
(2019), gender-specific language has been replaced or
supplemented in the English version of the Rules of Procedure
of the World Health Assembly and the Rules of Procedure of
the Executive Board, respectively, so as to indicate both
feminine and masculine forms.
– 1 –
CONSTITUTION
OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
1
THE STATES Parties to this Constitution declare, in conformity with the
Charter of the United Nations, that the following principles are basic to the
happiness, harmonious relations and security of all peoples:
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and
not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the
fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race,
religion, political belief, economic or social condition.
The health of all peoples is fundamental to the attainment of peace and
security and is dependent upon the fullest co-operation of individuals
and States.
The achievement of any State in the promotion and protection of health
is of value to all.
Unequal development in different countries in the promotion of health
and control of disease, especially communicable disease, is a common
danger.
Healthy development of the child is of basic importance; the ability to
live harmoniously in a changing total environment is essential to such
development.
The extension to all peoples of the benefits of medical, psychological
and related knowledge is essential to the fullest attainment of health.
Informed opinion and active co-operation on the part of the public are
of the utmost importance in the improvement of the health of the people.
Governments have a responsibility for the health of their peoples which
can be fulfilled only by the provision of adequate health and social
measures.
ACCEPTING THESE PRINCIPLES, and for the purpose of co-operation
among themselves and with others to promote and protect the health of all
peoples, the Contracting Parties agree to the present Constitution and hereby
establish the World Health Organization as a specialized agency within the
terms of Article 57 of the Charter of the United Nations.
_________
1
The Constitution was adopted by the International Health Conference held in New York from 19 June
to 22 July 1946, signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of 61 States (Off. Rec. Wld Hlth Org., 2, 100),
and entered into force on 7 April 1948. Amendments adopted by the Twenty-sixth, Twenty-ninth, Thirty-
ninth and Fifty-first World Health Assemblies (resolutions WHA26.37, WHA29.38, WHA39.6 and
WHA51.23) came into force on 3 February 1977, 20 January 1984, 11 July 1994 and 15 September 2005
respectively and are incorporated in the present text.
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CHAPTER I – OBJECTIVE
Article 1
The objective of the World Health Organization (hereinafter called the
Organization) shall be the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible
level of health.
CHAPTER II – FUNCTIONS
Article 2
In order to achieve its objective, the functions of the Organization shall
be:
(a) to act as the directing and co-ordinating authority on international health
work;
(b)to establish and maintain effective collaboration with the United Nations,
specialized agencies, governmental health administrations, professional
groups and such other organizations as may be deemed appropriate;
(c) to assist Governments, upon request, in strengthening health services;
(d) to furnish appropriate technical assistance and, in emergencies,
necessary aid upon the request or acceptance of Governments;
(e) to provide or assist in providing, upon the request of the United Nations,
health services and facilities to special groups, such as the peoples of
trust territories;
(f) to establish and maintain such administrative and technical services as
may be required, including epidemiological and statistical services;
(g) to stimulate and advance work to eradicate epidemic, endemic and other
diseases;
(h) to promote, in co-operation with other specialized agencies where
necessary, the prevention of accidental injuries;
(i) to promote, in co-operation with other specialized agencies where
necessary, the improvement of nutrition, housing, sanitation, recreation,
economic or working conditions and other aspects of environmental
hygiene;
(j) to promote co-operation among scientific and professional groups which
contribute to the advancement of health;
CONSTITUTION OF WHO
3
(k) to propose conventions, agreements and regulations, and make
recommendations with respect to international health matters and to
perform such duties as may be assigned thereby to the Organization and
are consistent with its objective;
(l) to promote maternal and child health and welfare and to foster the ability
to live harmoniously in a changing total environment;
(m) to foster activities in the field of mental health, especially those affecting
the harmony of human relations;
(n) to promote and conduct research in the field of health;
(o) to promote improved standards of teaching and training in the health,
medical and related professions;
(p) to study and report on, in co-operation with other specialized agencies
where necessary, administrative and social techniques affecting public
health and medical care from preventive and curative points of view,
including hospital services and social security;
(q) to provide information, counsel and assistance in the field of health;
(r) to assist in developing an informed public opinion among all peoples on
matters of health;
(s) to establish and revise as necessary international nomenclatures of
diseases, of causes of death and of public health practices;
(t) to standardize diagnostic procedures as necessary;
(u) to develop, establish and promote international standards with respect to
food, biological, pharmaceutical and similar products;
(v) generally to take all necessary action to attain the objective of the
Organization.
CHAPTER III – MEMBERSHIP AND ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP
Article 3
Membership in the Organization shall be open to all States.
Article 4
Members of the United Nations may become Members of the
Organization by signing or otherwise accepting this Constitution in
accordance with the provisions of Chapter XIX and in accordance with their
constitutional processes.
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Article 5
The States whose Governments have been invited to send observers to
the International Health Conference held in New York, 1946, may become
Members by signing or otherwise accepting this Constitution in accordance
with the provisions of Chapter XIX and in accordance with their
constitutional processes provided that such signature or acceptance shall be
completed before the first session of the Health Assembly.
Article 6
Subject to the conditions of any agreement between the United Nations
and the Organization, approved pursuant to Chapter XVI, States which do
not become Members in accordance with Articles 4 and 5 may apply to
become Members and shall be admitted as Members when their application
has been approved by a simple majority vote of the Health Assembly.
Article 7
1
If a Member fails to meet its financial obligations to the Organization or
in other exceptional circumstances, the Health Assembly may, on such
conditions as it thinks proper, suspend the voting privileges and services to
which a Member is entitled. The Health Assembly shall have the authority
to restore such voting privileges and services.
Article 8
Territories or groups of territories which are not responsible for the
conduct of their international relations may be admitted as Associate
Members by the Health Assembly upon application made on behalf of such
territory or group of territories by the Member or other authority having
responsibility for their international relations. Representatives of Associate
Members to the Health Assembly should be qualified by their technical
competence in the field of health and should be chosen from the native
population. The nature and extent of the rights and obligations of Associate
Members shall be determined by the Health Assembly.
_________
1
The amendment to this Article adopted by the Eighteenth World Health Assembly (resolution
WHA18.48) has not yet come into force.
CONSTITUTION OF WHO
5
CHAPTER IV – ORGANS
Article 9
The work of the Organization shall be carried out by:
(a) The World Health Assembly (herein called the Health Assembly);
(b) The Executive Board (hereinafter called the Board);
(c) The Secretariat.
CHAPTER V – THE WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY
Article 10
The Health Assembly shall be composed of delegates representing
Members.
Article 11
Each Member shall be represented by not more than three delegates, one
of whom shall be designated by the Member as chief delegate. These
delegates should be chosen from among persons most qualified by their
technical competence in the field of health, preferably representing the
national health administration of the Member.
Article 12
Alternates and advisers may accompany delegates.
Article 13
The Health Assembly shall meet in regular annual session and in such
special sessions as may be necessary. Special sessions shall be convened at
the request of the Board or of a majority of the Members.
Article 14
The Health Assembly, at each annual session, shall select the country or
region in which the next annual session shall be held, the Board
subsequently fixing the place. The Board shall determine the place where a
special session shall be held.
6
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Article 15
The Board, after consultation with the Secretary-General of the United
Nations, shall determine the date of each annual and special session.
Article 16
The Health Assembly shall elect its President and other officers at the
beginning of each annual session. They shall hold office until their
successors are elected.
Article 17
The Health Assembly shall adopt its own rules of procedure.
Article 18
The functions of the Health Assembly shall be:
(a) to determine the policies of the Organization;
(b)to name the Members entitled to designate a person to serve on the Board;
(c) to appoint the Director-General;
(d) to review and approve reports and activities of the Board and of the
Director-General and to instruct the Board in regard to matters upon
which action, study, investigation or report may be considered desirable;
(e) to establish such committees as may be considered necessary for the
work of the Organization;
(f) to supervise the financial policies of the Organization and to review and
approve the budget;
(g) to instruct the Board and the Director-General to bring to the attention
of Members and of international organizations, governmental or non-
governmental, any matter with regard to health which the Health
Assembly may consider appropriate;
(h) to invite any organization, international or national, governmental or
non-governmental, which has responsibilities related to those of the
Organization, to appoint representatives to participate, without right of
vote, in its meetings or in those of the committees and conferences
convened under its authority, on conditions prescribed by the Health
Assembly; but in the case of national organizations, invitations shall be
issued only with the consent of the Government concerned;
(i) to consider recommendations bearing on health made by the General
Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, the Security Council or
CONSTITUTION OF WHO
7
Trusteeship Council of the United Nations, and to report to them on the
steps taken by the Organization to give effect to such recommendations;
(j) to report to the Economic and Social Council in accordance with any
agreement between the Organization and the United Nations;
(k) to promote and conduct research in the field of health by the personnel
of the Organization, by the establishment of its own institutions or by
co-operation with official or non-official institutions of any Member
with the consent of its Government;
(l) to establish such other institutions as it may consider desirable;
(m) to take any other appropriate action to further the objective of the
Organization.
Article 19
The Health Assembly shall have authority to adopt conventions or
agreements with respect to any matter within the competence of the
Organization. A two-thirds vote of the Health Assembly shall be required
for the adoption of such conventions or agreements, which shall come into
force for each Member when accepted by it in accordance with its
constitutional processes.
Article 20
Each Member undertakes that it will, within eighteen months after the
adoption by the Health Assembly of a convention or agreement, take action
relative to the acceptance of such convention or agreement. Each Member
shall notify the Director-General of the action taken, and if it does not accept
such convention or agreement within the time limit, it will furnish a
statement of the reasons for non-acceptance. In case of acceptance, each
Member agrees to make an annual report to the Director-General in
accordance with Chapter XIV.
Article 21
The Health Assembly shall have authority to adopt regulations
concerning:
(a) sanitary and quarantine requirements and other procedures designed to
prevent the international spread of disease;
(b) nomenclatures with respect to diseases, causes of death and public health
practices;
(c) standards with respect to diagnostic procedures for international use;
8
BASIC DOCUMENTS
(d) standards with respect to the safety, purity and potency of biological,
pharmaceutical and similar products moving in international commerce;
(e) advertising and labelling of biological, pharmaceutical and similar
products moving in international commerce.
Article 22
Regulations adopted pursuant to Article 21 shall come into force for all
Members after due notice has been given of their adoption by the Health
Assembly except for such Members as may notify the Director-General of
rejection or reservations within the period stated in the notice.
Article 23
The Health Assembly shall have authority to make recommendations to
Members with respect to any matter within the competence of the
Organization.
CHAPTER VI – THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Article 24
The Board shall consist of thirty-four persons designated by as many
Members. The Health Assembly, taking into account an equitable
geographical distribution, shall elect the Members entitled to designate a
person to serve on the Board, provided that, of such Members, not less than
three shall be elected from each of the regional organizations established
pursuant to Article 44. Each of these Members should appoint to the Board
a person technically qualified in the field of health, who may be
accompanied by alternates and advisers.
Article 25
These Members shall be elected for three years and may be re-elected,
provided that of the Members elected at the first session of the Health
Assembly held after the coming into force of the amendment to this
Constitution increasing the membership of the Board from thirty-two to
thirty-four the term of office of the additional Members elected shall, in so
far as may be necessary, be of such lesser duration as shall facilitate the
election of at least one Member from each regional organization in each
year.
CONSTITUTION OF WHO
9
Article 26
The Board shall meet at least twice a year and shall determine the place
of each meeting.
Article 27
The Board shall elect its Chairman from among its members and shall
adopt its own rules of procedure.
Article 28
The functions of the Board shall be:
(a) to give effect to the decisions and policies of the Health Assembly;
(b) to act as the executive organ of the Health Assembly;
(c) to perform any other functions entrusted to it by the Health Assembly;
(d) to advise the Health Assembly on questions referred to it by that body
and on matters assigned to the Organization by conventions, agreements
and regulations;
(e) to submit advice or proposals to the Health Assembly on its own
initiative;
(f) to prepare the agenda of meetings of the Health Assembly;
(g) to submit to the Health Assembly for consideration and approval a
general programme of work covering a specific period;
(h) to study all questions within its competence;
(i) to take emergency measures within the functions and financial resources
of the Organization to deal with events requiring immediate action. In
particular it may authorize the Director-General to take the necessary
steps to combat epidemics, to participate in the organization of health
relief to victims of a calamity and to undertake studies and research the
urgency of which has been drawn to the attention of the Board by any
Member or by the Director-General.
Article 29
The Board shall exercise on behalf of the whole Health Assembly the
powers delegated to it by that body.
10
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CHAPTER VII – THE SECRETARIAT
Article 30
The Secretariat shall comprise the Director-General and such technical
and administrative staff as the Organization may require.
Article 31
The Director-General shall be appointed by the Health Assembly on the
nomination of the Board on such terms as the Health Assembly may
determine. The Director-General, subject to the authority of the Board, shall
be the chief technical and administrative officer of the Organization.
Article 32
The Director-General shall be ex officio Secretary of the Health
Assembly, of the Board, of all commissions and committees of the
Organization and of conferences convened by it. He may delegate these
functions.
Article 33
The Director-General or his representative may establish a procedure by
agreement with Members, permitting him, for the purpose of discharging
his duties, to have direct access to their various departments, especially to
their health administrations and to national health organizations,
governmental or non-governmental. He may also establish direct relations
with international organizations whose activities come within the
competence of the Organization. He shall keep regional offices informed on
all matters involving their respective areas.
Article 34
The Director-General shall prepare and submit to the Board the financial
statements and budget estimates of the Organization.
Article 35
The Director-General shall appoint the staff of the Secretariat in
accordance with staff regulations established by the Health Assembly. The
paramount consideration in the employment of the staff shall be to assure
that the efficiency, integrity and internationally representative character of
the Secretariat shall be maintained at the highest level. Due regard shall be
paid also to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical
basis as possible.
CONSTITUTION OF WHO
11
Article 36
The conditions of service of the staff of the Organization shall conform
as far as possible with those of other United Nations organizations.
Article 37
In the performance of their duties the Director-General and the staff shall
not seek or receive instructions from any government or from any authority
external to the Organization. They shall refrain from any action which might
reflect on their position as international officers. Each Member of the
Organization on its part undertakes to respect the exclusively international
character of the Director-General and the staff and not to seek to influence
them.
CHAPTER VIII – COMMITTEES
Article 38
The Board shall establish such committees as the Health Assembly may
direct and, on its own initiative or on the proposal of the Director-General,
may establish any other committees considered desirable to serve any
purpose within the competence of the Organization.
Article 39
The Board, from time to time and in any event annually, shall review the
necessity for continuing each committee.
Article 40
The Board may provide for the creation of or the participation by the
Organization in joint or mixed committees with other organizations and for
the representation of the Organization in committees established by such
other organizations.
CHAPTER IX – CONFERENCES
Article 41
The Health Assembly or the Board may convene local, general,
technical or other special conferences to consider any matter within the
competence of the Organization and may provide for the representation at
such conferences of international organizations and, with the consent of the
12
BASIC DOCUMENTS
Government concerned, of national organizations, governmental or non-
governmental. The manner of such representation shall be determined by
the Health Assembly or the Board.
Article 42
The Board may provide for representation of the Organization at
conferences in which the Board considers that the Organization has an
interest.
CHAPTER X – HEADQUARTERS
Article 43
The location of the headquarters of the Organization shall be determined
by the Health Assembly after consultation with the United Nations.
CHAPTER XI – REGIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
Article 44
(a) The Health Assembly shall from time to time define the geographical
areas in which it is desirable to establish a regional organization.
(b) The Health Assembly may, with the consent of a majority of the
Members situated within each area so defined, establish a regional
organization to meet the special needs of such area. There shall not be
more than one regional organization in each area.
Article 45
Each regional organization shall be an integral part of the Organization
in accordance with this Constitution.
Article 46
Each regional organization shall consist of a regional committee and a
regional office.
Article 47
Regional committees shall be composed of representatives of the
Member States and Associate Members in the region concerned. Territories
or groups of territories within the region, which are not responsible for the
conduct of their international relations and which are not Associate
CONSTITUTION OF WHO
13
Members, shall have the right to be represented and to participate in regional
committees. The nature and extent of the rights and obligations of these
territories or groups of territories in regional committees shall be determined
by the Health Assembly in consultation with the Member or other authority
having responsibility for the international relations of these territories and
with the Member States in the region.
Article 48
Regional committees shall meet as often as necessary and shall
determine the place of each meeting.
Article 49
Regional committees shall adopt their own rules of procedure.
Article 50
The functions of the regional committee shall be:
(a) to formulate policies governing matters of an exclusively regional
character;
(b) to supervise the activities of the regional office;
(c) to suggest to the regional office the calling of technical conferences and
such additional work or investigation in health matters as in the opinion
of the regional committee would promote the objective of the
Organization within the region;
(d) to co-operate with the respective regional committees of the United
Nations and with those of other specialized agencies and with other
regional international organizations having interests in common with the
Organization;
(e) to tender advice, through the Director-General, to the Organization on
international health matters which have wider than regional significance;
(f) to recommend additional regional appropriations by the Governments of
the respective regions if the proportion of the central budget of the
Organization allotted to that region is insufficient for the carrying-out of
the regional functions;
(g) such other functions as may be delegated to the regional committee by
the Health Assembly, the Board or the Director-General.
14
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Article 51
Subject to the general authority of the Director-General of the
Organization, the regional office shall be the administrative organ of the
regional committee. It shall, in addition, carry out within the region the
decisions of the Health Assembly and of the Board.
Article 52
The head of the regional office shall be the Regional Director appointed
by the Board in agreement with the regional committee.
Article 53
The staff of the regional office shall be appointed in a manner to be
determined by agreement between the Director-General and the Regional
Director.
Article 54
The Pan American Sanitary Organization
1
represented by the Pan
American Sanitary Bureau and the Pan American Sanitary Conferences, and
all other inter-governmental regional health organizations in existence prior
to the date of signature of this Constitution, shall in due course be integrated
with the Organization. This integration shall be effected as soon as
practicable through common action based on mutual consent of the
competent authorities expressed through the organizations concerned.
CHAPTER XII – BUDGET AND EXPENSES
Article 55
The Director-General shall prepare and submit to the Board the budget
estimates of the Organization. The Board shall consider and submit to the
Health Assembly such budget estimates, together with any
recommendations the Board may deem advisable.
Article 56
Subject to any agreement between the Organization and the United
Nations, the Health Assembly shall review and approve the budget
estimates and shall apportion the expenses among the Members in
accordance with a scale to be fixed by the Health Assembly.
_________
1
Renamed “Pan American Health Organization” by decision of the XV Pan American Sanitary
Conference, September‒October 1958.
CONSTITUTION OF WHO
15
Article 57
The Health Assembly or the Board acting on behalf of the Health
Assembly may accept and administer gifts and bequests made to the
Organization provided that the conditions attached to such gifts or bequests
are acceptable to the Health Assembly or the Board and are consistent with
the objective and policies of the Organization.
Article 58
A special fund to be used at the discretion of the Board shall be
established to meet emergencies and unforeseen contingencies.
CHAPTER XIII – VOTING
Article 59
Each Member shall have one vote in the Health Assembly.
Article 60
(a) Decisions of the Health Assembly on important questions shall be
made by a two-thirds majority of the Members present and voting. These
questions shall include: the adoption of conventions or agreements; the
approval of agreements bringing the Organization into relation with the
United Nations and inter-governmental organizations and agencies in
accordance with Articles 69, 70 and 72; amendments to this Constitution.
(b) Decisions on other questions, including the determination of
additional categories of questions to be decided by a two-thirds majority,
shall be made by a majority of the Members present and voting.
(c) Voting on analogous matters in the Board and in committees of the
Organization shall be made in accordance with paragraphs (a) and (b) of
this Article.
CHAPTER XIV – REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES
Article 61
Each Member shall report annually to the Organization on the action
taken and progress achieved in improving the health of its people.
Article 62
Each Member shall report annually on the action taken with respect to
16
BASIC DOCUMENTS
recommendations made to it by the Organization and with respect to
conventions, agreements and regulations.
Article 63
Each Member shall communicate promptly to the Organization
important laws, regulations, official reports and statistics pertaining to
health which have been published in the State concerned.
Article 64
Each Member shall provide statistical and epidemiological reports in a
manner to be determined by the Health Assembly.
Article 65
Each Member shall transmit upon the request of the Board such
additional information pertaining to health as may be practicable.
CHAPTER XV – LEGAL CAPACITY, PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES
Article 66
The Organization shall enjoy in the territory of each Member such legal
capacity as may be necessary for the fulfilment of its objective and for the
exercise of its functions.
Article 67
(a) The Organization shall enjoy in the territory of each Member such
privileges and immunities as may be necessary for the fulfilment of its
objective and for the exercise of its functions.
(b) Representatives of Members, persons designated to serve on the
Board and technical and administrative personnel of the Organization shall
similarly enjoy such privileges and immunities as are necessary for the
independent exercise of their functions in connexion with the Organization.
Article 68
Such legal capacity, privileges and immunities shall be defined in a
separate agreement to be prepared by the Organization in consultation with
the Secretary-General of the United Nations and concluded between the
Members.
CONSTITUTION OF WHO
17
CHAPTER XVI – RELATIONS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
Article 69
The Organization shall be brought into relation with the United Nations
as one of the specialized agencies referred to in Article 57 of the Charter of
the United Nations. The agreement or agreements bringing the Organization
into relation with the United Nations shall be subject to approval by a two-
thirds vote of the Health Assembly.
Article 70
The Organization shall establish effective relations and co-operate
closely with such other inter-governmental organizations as may be
desirable. Any formal agreement entered into with such organizations shall
be subject to approval by a two-thirds vote of the Health Assembly.
Article 71
The Organization may, on matters within its competence, make suitable
arrangements for consultation and co-operation with non-governmental
international organizations and, with the consent of the Government
concerned, with national organizations, governmental or non-governmental.
Article 72
Subject to the approval by a two-thirds vote of the Health Assembly, the
Organization may take over from any other international organization or
agency whose purpose and activities lie within the field of competence of
the Organization such functions, resources and obligations as may be
conferred upon the Organization by international agreement or by mutually
acceptable arrangements entered into between the competent authorities of
the respective organizations.
CHAPTER XVII – AMENDMENTS
Article 73
Texts of proposed amendments to this Constitution shall be
communicated by the Director-General to Members at least six months in
advance of their consideration by the Health Assembly. Amendments shall
come into force for all Members when adopted by a two-thirds vote of the
Health Assembly and accepted by two-thirds of the Members in accordance
with their respective constitutional processes.
18
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CHAPTER XVIII – INTERPRETATION
Article 74
1
The Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish texts of this
Constitution shall be regarded as equally authentic.
Article 75
Any question or dispute concerning the interpretation or application of
this Constitution which is not settled by negotiation or by the Health
Assembly shall be referred to the International Court of Justice in
conformity with the Statute of the Court, unless the parties concerned agree
on another mode of settlement.
Article 76
Upon authorization by the General Assembly of the United Nations or
upon authorization in accordance with any agreement between the
Organization and the United Nations, the Organization may request the
International Court of Justice for an advisory opinion on any legal question
arising within the competence of the Organization.
Article 77
The Director-General may appear before the Court on behalf of the
Organization in connexion with any proceedings arising out of any such
request for an advisory opinion. He shall make arrangements for the
presentation of the case before the Court, including arrangements for the
argument of different views on the question.
CHAPTER XIX – ENTRY-INTO-FORCE
Article 78
Subject to the provisions of Chapter III, this Constitution shall remain
open to all States for signature or acceptance.
_________
1
The amendment to this Article adopted by the Thirty-first World Health Assembly (resolution
WHA31.18) has not yet come into force.
CONSTITUTION OF WHO
19
Article 79
(a) States may become parties to this Constitution by:
(i) signature without reservation as to approval;
(ii) signature subject to approval followed by acceptance; or
(iii) acceptance.
(b) Acceptance shall be effected by the deposit of a formal instrument
with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Article 80
This Constitution shall come into force when twenty-six Members of the
United Nations have become parties to it in accordance with the provisions
of Article 79.
Article 81
In accordance with Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations, the
Secretary-General of the United Nations will register this Constitution when
it has been signed without reservation as to approval on behalf of one State
or upon deposit of the first instrument of acceptance.
Article 82
The Secretary-General of the United Nations will inform States parties
to this Constitution of the date when it has come into force. He will also
inform them of the dates when other States have become parties to this
Constitution.
IN FAITH WHEREOF the undersigned representatives, having been duly
authorized for that purpose, sign this Constitution.
DONE in the City of New York this twenty-second day of July 1946, in
a single copy in the Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish
languages, each text being equally authentic. The original texts shall be
deposited in the archives of the United Nations. The Secretary-General of
the United Nations will send certified copies to each of the Governments
represented at the Conference.
––––––––––
– 21 –
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
AND OTHER TERRITORIES
1. Health Assembly and Executive Board
1
Whereas Article 8 of the Constitution of the World Health Organization
provides that the nature and extent of the rights and obligations of Associate
Members shall be determined by the Health Assembly, and
Whereas there is need for further study in connexion with Articles 8 and
47 of the Constitution of the rights and obligations in regional organizations
of Associate Members and of territories or groups of territories which are
not responsible for the conduct of their international relations and which are
not Associate Members,
The First World Health Assembly
RESOLVES
1. that Associate Members shall have the right:
(i) to participate without vote in the deliberations of the Health
Assembly and its main committees;
(ii) to participate with vote and to hold office in other committees or
sub-committees of the Assembly, except the General Committee, the
Committee on Credentials, and the Nominations Committee;
2
(iii) to participate equally with Members, subject to the limitation on
voting in paragraph (i) above, in matters pertaining to the conduct of
business of meetings of the Assembly and its committees, in accordance
with Rules 49 to 68, and 85 to 86, of the Rules of Procedure of the
Assembly;
(iv) to propose items for inclusion in the provisional agenda of the
Assembly;
(v) to receive equally with Members all notices, documents, reports and
records;
(vi) to participate equally with Members in the procedure for convening
special sessions;
_________
1
Text adopted by the First World Health Assembly on 21 July 1948 (Off. Rec. Wld Hlth Org., 13, 100,
337). (The numbers of the Rules of Procedure mentioned in paragraph 1 (iii) have been changed to agree
with the revised version of the Rules as reproduced on pp. 173–206.)
2
The Committee on Nominations was abolished by virtue of resolution WHA61.11.
22
BASIC DOCUMENTS
2. that Associate Members shall have the right, equally with Members,
to submit proposals to the Executive Board, and to participate, in
accordance with regulations established by the Board, in committees
established by it, but they shall not be eligible for membership on the
Board;
3. that Associate Members shall be subject to the same obligations as
Members, except that the difference in their status shall be taken into
account in determining the amount of their contribution to the budget of
the Organization;
4. that the Executive Board be requested to submit a report with
recommendations to the next Health Assembly, taking into account
Article 47 of the Constitution and any comments or recommendations
from Members and from regional organizations concerning the rights
and obligations in regional organizations of Associate Members and of
territories or groups of territories which are not responsible for the
conduct of their international relations and which are not Associate
Members, the report to be transmitted to the Members at least two
months in advance of the convening of the Assembly.
2. Regional Organizations
1
The Second World Health Assembly,
Having regard to Articles 8 and 47 of the Constitution; and
Having regard to paragraph 4 of the resolution of the First World Health
Assembly concerning the rights and obligations of Associate Members;
2
and
Having regard to the reports of the Executive Board at its second and
third sessions;
3
and
Having regard to a statement
4
concerning the Pan American Sanitary
Organization,
5
_________
1
Text adopted by the Second World Health Assembly on 30 June 1949 (resolution WHA2.103). The
rights and obligations of Associate Members were further considered by the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Ninth and
Tenth World Health Assemblies, and by the Executive Board at its ninth, tenth, eleventh, thirteenth, fifteenth
and nineteenth sessions but have remained unchanged. The relevant resolutions will be found in the
Handbook of Resolutions and Decisions of the World Health Assembly and the Executive Board, Volume I,
section 6.2.2. As regards participation in the Regional Committee for Africa of Members not having their
seat of government within the Region, see resolution WHA28.37.
2
See above.
3
Off. Rec. Wld Hlth Org., 14, 26, 54; 17, 17.
4
Off. Rec. Wld Hlth Org., 21, 384.
5
Renamed “Pan American Health Organization” by decision of the XV Pan American Sanitary
Conference, September‒October 1958.
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
23
RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
1. For the purposes of Article 47 of the Constitution, States Members in a
region shall be deemed to be those States Members having their seat of
government within the region;
2. Those States Members not having their seat of government within the
region, which (a) either by reason of their Constitution consider certain
territories or groups of territories in the region as part of their national
territory, or (b) are responsible for the conduct of the international relations
of territories or groups of territories within the region, shall participate as
Members of the regional committee, in which case they shall have all the
rights, privileges and obligations of Member States in the region, but with
only one vote for all the territories or groups of territories in the region, as
defined in (a) and (b) above;
3. (1) Territories or groups of territories in the region which are not
responsible for the conduct of their international relations, whether
Associate Members or otherwise, may participate in regional
committees, in accordance with Articles 8 and 47 of the Constitution;
(2) Associate Members shall have all rights and obligations in the
regional organizations, with the exception that they will have no vote in
plenary meetings of the regional committee, nor in subdivisions dealing
with finance or constitutional matters;
(3) Representatives of Associate Members should be qualified by their
technical competence in the field of health and should be chosen from
the native population in accordance with Article 8 of the Constitution;
(4) In the case of territories not responsible for the conduct of their
international relations and not Associate Members, the rights and
obligations in (2) above shall apply subject to consultation between the
States Members in a region – as defined in paragraph 1 above – and the
Members or other authority having responsibility for the international
relations of these territories;
(5) In recommending any additional appropriation under Article 50(f)
of the Constitution, the regional committee shall take account of the
difference in status between States Members, on the one hand, and
Associate Members and other territories or groups of territories not
responsible for the conduct of their international relations, on the other;
4. In view of the statement made by the Director of the Pan American
Sanitary Organization
1
and of the fact that integration between PASO and
WHO is still in process, the application of the above recommendation in the
_________
1
Off. Rec. Wld Hlth Org., 21, 384.
24
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American Region shall await the completion of these negotiations for such
integration;
5. The Executive Board should keep under review the implementation of
these decisions and submit to the Fifth World Health Assembly,
1
at the
latest, a report thereon in order that that Assembly might determine what, if
any, modifications might be required in the above decisions in the light of
experience.
––––––––––
_________
1
See footnote 1 on p. 22.
1
1
26
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CONVENTION ON PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES
27
28
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CONVENTION ON PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES
29
30
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1
1
CONVENTION ON PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES
31
32
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CONVENTION ON PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES
33
34
BASIC DOCUMENTS
CONVENTION ON PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES
35
36
BASIC DOCUMENTS
CONVENTION ON PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES
37
38
BASIC DOCUMENTS
CONVENTION ON PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES
39
1
1
1
2
1
2
42
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AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHO AND PAHO
43
For the World Health
Organization:
Brock CHISHOLM,
Director-General
For the Pan American
Sanitary Conference:
Fred SOPER,
The Director
1
1
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED NATIONS AND WHO
45
46
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AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED NATIONS AND WHO
47
48
BASIC DOCUMENTS
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED NATIONS AND WHO
49
50
BASIC DOCUMENTS
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED NATIONS AND WHO
51
52
BASIC DOCUMENTS
1
1
54
BASIC DOCUMENTS
AGREEMENT BETWEEN ILO AND WHO
55
56
BASIC DOCUMENTS
1
1
58
BASIC DOCUMENTS
AGREEMENT BETWEEN FAO AND WHO
59
60
BASIC DOCUMENTS
1
1
62
BASIC DOCUMENTS
AGREEMENT BETWEEN UNESCO AND WHO
63
64
BASIC DOCUMENTS
AGREEMENT BETWEEN UNESCO AND WHO
65
1
1
AGREEMENT BETWEEN IAEA AND WHO
67
68
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AGREEMENT BETWEEN IAEA AND WHO
69
70
BASIC DOCUMENTS
1
1
72
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AGREEMENT BETWEEN IFAD AND WHO
73
74
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International Fund for
Agricultural Development
Abdelmuhsin M. AL-SUDEARY
President
World Health
Organization
H. MAHLER, M.D.
Director-General
1
1
76
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AGREEMENT BETWEEN UNIDO AND WHO
77
1
1
AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHO AND UPU
79
80
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For the WHO:
For the UPU
(International Bureau):
Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland
Director-General
Thomas E. Leavey
Director-General
Date: 9 February 1999
Date: 9 February 1999
1
1
82
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AGREEMENT BETWEEN OIE AND WHO
83
84
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for WHO
for OIE
LEE Jong-wook
Director-General
Dr Bernard Vallat
Director General
– 85 –
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COMMISSION OF
THE AFRICAN UNION AND THE WORLD
HEALTH ORGANIZATION
1
The Commission of the African Union (hereinafter referred to as the
“AU Commission”) on the one hand; and
The World Health Organization (hereinafter referred to as “WHO”) on
the other hand;
Hereinafter separately and collectively respectively referred to as the
“Party” and the “Parties”
Considering that one of the objectives of the African Union (hereinafter
referred to as the “AU”) is, as set out in the Constitutive Act of the AU of
11 July 2000, to achieve greater unity and solidarity between the African
countries and the peoples of Africa; to promote co-operation in all fields of
human activity; to raise the living standards of African peoples, and in this
regard to work with relevant international partners to achieve the common
objectives;
Considering that the AU is called upon to undertake certain tasks of a
continental nature, in harmony with those pursued on a worldwide scale by
WHO;
Considering that the objective of WHO is the attainment by all peoples
of the highest possible level of health and that in order to achieve that
objective WHO acts as the directing and coordinating authority on
international health matters;
Considering the regional arrangements made by WHO as set forth in
Chapter XI of its Constitution and in particular Article 50(d) thereof;
Recalling the cooperation between the erstwhile Organization of African
Unity and WHO pursuant to the Agreement between the World Health
Organization and the erstwhile Organization of African Unity of
24 September 1969 and the Arrangements for the Practical Implementation
of Cooperation Between the World Health Organization and the erstwhile
Organization of African Unity of 11 May 1982 while recognizing the need
to replace these instruments in the light of the establishment of the AU.
_________
1
Approved by the Sixty-fifth World Health Assembly on 26 May 2012 in resolution WHA65.16.
86
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AGREEMENT BETWEEN AU AND WHO
87
88
BASIC DOCUMENTS
AGREEMENT BETWEEN AU AND WHO
89
90
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AGREEMENT BETWEEN AU AND WHO
91
For the Commission of the
African Union
For the World Health
Organization
H.E. Advocate Bience Philomina Gawanas
Commissioner for Social Affairs
6 July 2012
Dr Margaret Chan
Director-General
6 July 2012
1
1
AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHO AND SOUTH CENTRE
93
94
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AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHO AND SOUTH CENTRE
95
1
2
3
1
2
3
98
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1
2
1
2
FRAMEWORK OF ENGAGEMENT WITH NON-STATE ACTORS
99
1
1
100
BASIC DOCUMENTS
1
2
1
2
FRAMEWORK OF ENGAGEMENT WITH NON-STATE ACTORS
101
1
1
102
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1
2
1
2
FRAMEWORK OF ENGAGEMENT WITH NON-STATE ACTORS
103
1
2
1
2
104
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• WHO conducts a risk assessment in order to identify the specific risks
of engagement associated with each engagement with a non-State
actor.
• Risks of engagement need to be managed and communicated
coherently in each of the three levels of the Organization and
throughout the Organization. To that end, WHO manages engagement
through a single, Organization-wide electronic tool.
1
• Member States exercise oversight over WHO’s engagement with non-
State actors in accordance with the provisions in paragraphs 67 and 68.
Conflict of interest
22. A conflict of interest arises in circumstances where there is potential for
a secondary interest (a vested interest in the outcome of WHO’s work in a
given area) to unduly influence, or where it may be reasonably perceived to
unduly influence, either the independence or objectivity of professional
judgement or actions regarding a primary interest (WHO’s work) The
existence of conflict of interest in all its forms does not as such mean that
improper action has occurred, but rather the risk of such improper action
occurring. Conflicts of interest are not only financial, but can take other
forms as well.
23.Individual conflicts of interests within WHO are those involving experts,
regardless of their status, and staff members; these are addressed in
accordance with the policies listed under paragraph 49 of the present
framework.
24. All institutions have multiple interests, which means that in engaging
with non-State actors WHO is often faced with a combination of converging
and conflicting interests. An institutional conflict of interest is a situation
where WHO’s primary interest as reflected in its Constitution may be
unduly influenced by the conflicting interest of a non-State actor in a way
that affects, or may reasonably be perceived to affect, the independence and
objectivity of WHO’s work.
25. In actively managing institutional conflict of interest and the other risks
of engagement mentioned in paragraph 7 above, WHO aims to avoid
allowing the conflicting interests of a non-State actor to exert, or be
_________
1
WHO uses an electronic tool for managing engagement. As described in footnote 2 of paragraph 38,
the publicly visible part of the tool is the register of non-State actors; the tool also provides an electronic
workflow for the internal management of engagement. A similar electronic tool is used for the management
of individual conflicts of interest, in order to harmonize the implementation of the framework with the
implementation of the policy on management of individual conflicts of interest for experts.
FRAMEWORK OF ENGAGEMENT WITH NON-STATE ACTORS
105
1
2
1
2
106
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1
1
FRAMEWORK OF ENGAGEMENT WITH NON-STATE ACTORS
107
1
2
3
1
2
3
108
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FRAMEWORK OF ENGAGEMENT WITH NON-STATE ACTORS
109
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
110
BASIC DOCUMENTS
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
FRAMEWORK OF ENGAGEMENT WITH NON-STATE ACTORS
111
1
1
112
BASIC DOCUMENTS
1
1
FRAMEWORK OF ENGAGEMENT WITH NON-STATE ACTORS
113
114
BASIC DOCUMENTS
FRAMEWORK OF ENGAGEMENT WITH NON-STATE ACTORS
115
1
1
116
BASIC DOCUMENTS
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
FRAMEWORK OF ENGAGEMENT WITH NON-STATE ACTORS
117
118
BASIC DOCUMENTS
FRAMEWORK OF ENGAGEMENT WITH NON-STATE ACTORS
119
1
2
1
2
120
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1
2
1
2
FRAMEWORK OF ENGAGEMENT WITH NON-STATE ACTORS
121
122
BASIC DOCUMENTS
1
1
FRAMEWORK OF ENGAGEMENT WITH NON-STATE ACTORS
123
124
BASIC DOCUMENTS
1
2
1
2
FRAMEWORK OF ENGAGEMENT WITH NON-STATE ACTORS
125
126
BASIC DOCUMENTS
FRAMEWORK OF ENGAGEMENT WITH NON-STATE ACTORS
127
1
1
128
BASIC DOCUMENTS
1
2
1
2
FRAMEWORK OF ENGAGEMENT WITH NON-STATE ACTORS
129
130
BASIC DOCUMENTS
1
1
FRAMEWORK OF ENGAGEMENT WITH NON-STATE ACTORS
131
1
1
132
BASIC DOCUMENTS
1
1
FRAMEWORK OF ENGAGEMENT WITH NON-STATE ACTORS
133
134
BASIC DOCUMENTS
1
2
1
2
FRAMEWORK OF ENGAGEMENT WITH NON-STATE ACTORS
135
1
1
– 137 –
FINANCIAL REGULATIONS
OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
1
Regulation I – Applicability and Delegation of Authority
1.1 These Regulations shall govern the financial administration of the
World Health Organization.
1.2 The Director-General is responsible for ensuring effective financial
administration of the Organization in accordance with these Regulations.
1.3 Without prejudice to Regulation 1.2 the Director-General may
delegate in writing to other officers of the Organization such authority and
related accountability as he or she considers necessary for the effective
implementation of these Regulations.
1.4 The Director-General shall establish Financial Rules, including
relevant guidelines and limits for the implementation of these Regulations,
in order to ensure effective financial administration, the exercise of
economy, and safeguard of the assets of the Organization.
Regulation II – The Financial Period
2.1 The financial period for the programme budget shall be two
consecutive calendar years beginning with an even-numbered year.
Regulation III – The Budget
3.1 The budget estimates for the financial period, as referred to in Article
55 of the Constitution (hereinafter referred to as “budget proposals”), shall
be prepared by the Director-General. The budget proposals shall be
presented in United States dollars.
3.2 The budget proposals shall be divided into parts, sections and chapters,
and shall include such information, annexes and explanatory statements as
may be requested by, or on behalf of, the Health Assembly and such further
annexes or statements as the Director-General may deem necessary and
useful.
_________
1
Text adopted by the Fifty-third World Health Assembly and amended by the Fifty-eighth, Sixtieth,
Sixty-second, Sixty-fourth and Sixty-sixth World Health Assemblies (resolutions WHA53.6, WHA58.20,
WHA60.9, WHA62.6, WHA64.22 and WHA66.3). Previous text adopted by the Fourth World Health
Assembly (resolution WHA4.50) and amended by the Thirteenth, Eighteenth, Twenty-fifth, Twenty-sixth,
Twenty-ninth, Thirtieth, Thirty-third, Thirty-seventh, Forty-first, Forty-fourth, and Forty-eighth World
Health Assemblies (resolutions WHA13.19, WHA18.13, WHA25.14, WHA25.15, WHA26.26, WHA29.27,
WHA30.21, WHA33.8, WHA41.12, WHA44.16, WHA48.21, and decision WHA37(10)).
138
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FINANCIAL REGULATIONS OF WHO
139
140
BASIC DOCUMENTS
FINANCIAL REGULATIONS OF WHO
141
142
BASIC DOCUMENTS
FINANCIAL REGULATIONS OF WHO
143
144
BASIC DOCUMENTS
FINANCIAL REGULATIONS OF WHO
145
146
BASIC DOCUMENTS
FINANCIAL REGULATIONS OF WHO
147
1
1
150
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STAFF REGULATIONS OF WHO
151
152
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4.4 Without prejudice to the inflow of fresh talent, posts shall be filled by
reassignment of staff members, as defined by, and under conditions
established by, the Director-General, in preference to other persons. This
preference shall also be applied, on a reciprocal basis, to the United Nations
and specialized agencies brought into relationship with the United Nations.
4.5 The appointment of each Deputy Director-General, Assistant
Director-General and Regional Director shall be for a period not to exceed
five years, subject to renewal, and in accordance with conditions determined
by the Executive Board concerning eligibility of Regional Directors for
reappointment. Other staff members shall be granted appointments of a
duration and under such terms and conditions, consistent with these
regulations, as the Director-General may prescribe.
4.6 The Director-General shall establish appropriate medical standards
which prospective staff members shall normally be required to meet before
appointment.
V. ANNUAL AND SPECIAL LEAVE
5.1 Staff members shall be allowed appropriate annual leave. In
exceptional cases, special leave may be authorized by the Director-General.
5.2 In order that staff members may take their leave periodically in their
home countries, the Organization shall allow necessary travelling time for
that purpose, under conditions and definitions prescribed by the
Director-General.
VI. SOCIAL SECURITY
6.1 Provision shall be made for the participation of staff members in the
United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund in accordance with the regulations
of that fund.
6.2 The Director-General shall establish a scheme of social security for the
staff, including provisions for health protection, sick leave and maternity
leave, and reasonable compensation in the event of illness, accident or death
attributable to the performance of official duties on behalf of the
Organization.
STAFF REGULATIONS OF WHO
153
154
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1
1
156
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REGULATIONS FOR EXPERT ADVISORY PANELS AND COMMITTEES
157
3.3 Members of expert advisory panels shall be appointed for such period
as the Director-General may determine, but not exceeding four years.
3.3.1 At the expiration of that period, the appointment shall end. However,
the Director-General may renew the appointment when such renewal is
warranted by specific programme requirements. Renewals of appointments
should be fixed for periods of up to four years.
3.3.2 The appointment shall also end if the panel is disestablished. It may
also be terminated at any time by the Director-General if the interests of the
Organization so require. The Director-General shall report to the Executive
Board on any such early termination of appointment.
3.4 Members of expert advisory panels do not receive any remuneration
from the Organization. However, when attending meetings by invitation of
WHO, they shall be entitled, in accordance with the administrative
regulations of the Organization, to reimbursement of travelling expenses
and to a daily living allowance during such meetings.
4. EXPERT COMMITTEES – MEMBERSHIP AND PROCEDURES
Selection, Appointment and Term of Office of Members
4.1 The Director-General shall establish the number of experts to be
invited to a meeting of an expert committee, determine its date and duration,
and convene the committee.
4.2 As a general rule, the Director-General shall select from one or more
expert advisory panels the members of an expert committee on the basis of
the principles of equitable geographical representation, gender balance, a
balance of experts from developed and developing countries, representation
of different trends of thought, approaches and practical experience in
various parts of the world, and an appropriate interdisciplinary balance. The
membership of expert committees shall not be restricted by consideration
of language, within the range of languages of the Organization.
4.3 Members of an expert advisory panel who are not invited to a
particular meeting of an expert committee of interest to them may at their
request attend as observers, if so authorized by the Director-General, but
shall do so at their own expense.
4.4 Organizations of the United Nations system, as well as
nongovernmental organizations in official relations with WHO, may be
invited to send representatives to expert committee meetings in which they
are directly interested.
158
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REGULATIONS FOR EXPERT ADVISORY PANELS AND COMMITTEES
159
160
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Reports on Meetings of Sub-committees
4.16 The above provisions (paragraphs 4.12–4.15) shall apply to reports on
meetings of sub-committees, except that the report of a sub-committee or
joint sub-committee shall be submitted through the Director-General to the
parent committee or committees. Nevertheless, the Director-General may
communicate the report of a sub-committee directly to the Executive Board
or to the Health Assembly if, in his opinion, it contains information or
advice urgently required by either of those bodies.
Venue of Meetings of Committees
4.17 Meetings of expert committees shall normally be held at headquarters
in order to provide overall technical guidance. They may also be convened
at regional level, to deal with problems of a predominantly regional
character, or at country level, if the health problems under consideration are
essentially country-specific. Meetings of such expert committees shall be
planned in a coordinated manner so as to complement those convened at
headquarters, avoid duplication, and ensure maximum effectiveness and
coherence in their work.
4.18 The above provisions (paragraphs 4.1–4.15) shall be applicable,
mutatis mutandis, to expert committees that meet at the regional or country
level. The Director-General may delegate the necessary authority to the
Regional Directors.
Rules of Procedure
4.19 Expert committees and sub-committees shall conduct their
proceedings in accordance with the Rules of Procedure set forth in the annex
to these regulations.
Joint Committees and Sub-committees
4.20 The selection and appointment of expert advisory panel members
designated by the Director-General to serve on a joint committee or
sub-committee convened by the Organization in conjunction with other
organizations shall also be governed by these regulations. In this selection,
account shall be taken of the technical and geographical balance that is
desirable for the joint committee or sub-committee as a whole.
4.21 Members of expert advisory panels appointed by the Director-General
to such joint committees and sub-committees shall retain complete freedom
of opinion and expression. Therefore their participation in any collective
decision which may entail administrative, financial or moral responsibility
for another participating organization does not commit the Organization.
REGULATIONS FOR EXPERT ADVISORY PANELS AND COMMITTEES
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162
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REGULATIONS FOR EXPERT ADVISORY PANELS AND COMMITTEES
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Adherence to the principles underlying these regulations is essential, but
practical application must be responsive to evolving demands on the
Organization, and new ways and means of securing and using expertise may
prove necessary.
1. STUDY GROUPS
1.1 Study groups may be convened instead of expert committees when one
or more of the following conditions are met:
– the knowledge on the subject to be studied is still too uncertain and
the opinions of competent specialists are too diverse for there to be
a reasonable expectation of authoritative conclusions which can be
immediately utilized by the Organization;
– the study envisaged concerns too limited an aspect of a general
problem, which may or may not come within the purview of an
expert committee;
– the study envisaged implies the collaboration of narrowly
specialized participants who may belong to very different
disciplines and on whom the Organization occasionally calls,
without its being necessary, however, to include them in its expert
advisory panels;
– certain non-technical factors render unsuitable an expert committee
meeting, which would be too official in character;
– urgent or exceptional circumstances call for some administrative
procedure which will be simpler and more rapidly applicable than
that involved in meetings of expert committees.
1.2 The Director-General has authority to convene study groups, to
determine the nature and scope of their subjects, the date and duration of
their meetings, their membership, and whether their reports should be
published. In so doing, the Director-General shall follow, whenever
applicable and as far as practicable, the principles and rules applicable to
expert committees, particularly those concerning the technical and
geographical balance of the groups. Members of study groups may be
members of expert advisory panels or other experts.
1.3 The regulations applying to the reports and documents of expert
committees shall also apply to the reports and documents of study groups.
1.4 Meetings of study groups may be held at the regional level, to deal
with subjects essentially of regional interest, when one or more of the
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REGULATIONS FOR STUDY AND SCIENTIFIC GROUPS
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REGULATIONS FOR STUDY AND SCIENTIFIC GROUPS
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Director-General. The provisional agenda shall be dispatched together with
the notice of convocation mentioned in Rule 3.
Rule 5
The Board shall include on the provisional agenda of each regular
session of the Health Assembly inter alia:
(a) the annual report of the Director-General on the work of the
Organization;
(b) all items that the Health Assembly has, in a previous session, ordered to
be included;
(c) any items pertaining to the budget for the next financial period and to
reports on the accounts for the preceding year or period;
(d) any item proposed by a Member or by an Associate Member;
(e) subject to such preliminary consultation as may be necessary between
the Director-General and the Secretary-General of the United Nations,
any item proposed by the United Nations;
(f) any item proposed by any other organization of the United Nations
system with which the Organization has entered into effective relations.
The Board may recommend to the World Health Assembly the deferral
of any item under (d), (e) and (f) above.
Any proposal for inclusion on the provisional agenda of any item under
(d), (e) and (f) above shall be accompanied by an explanatory memorandum
that shall reach the Director-General no later than four weeks before the
commencement of the session of the Board at which the provisional agenda
of the Health Assembly is to be prepared.
Special sessions
Rule 6
The Director-General shall draw up the provisional agenda for any
special session of the Health Assembly and dispatch it together with the
notice of convocation mentioned in Rule 3.
Rule 7
The provisional agenda for each special session shall include only those
items proposed in any request by a majority of the Members and Associate
Members of the Organization or by the Board for the holding of the session,
pursuant to Rule 2.
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Regular and special sessions
Rule 8
The Director-General shall enter into consultation with the United
Nations or the specialized agencies on items, proposed in conformity with
these Rules, relating to new activities to be undertaken by the Organization
which are of direct concern to such organization or organizations, and shall
report to the Health Assembly on the means of achieving coordinated use
of the resources of the respective organizations.
When such proposals are put forward during the course of a session, the
Director-General shall, after such consultation as may be possible with
representatives of the United Nations or specialized agencies attending the
session, draw the attention of the Health Assembly to the full implications
of the proposal.
Rule 9
The Health Assembly shall satisfy itself that adequate consultations
have taken place with the organizations concerned in accordance with Rule
8 before taking action on such new activities.
Rule 10
The Director-General shall consult the United Nations and the
specialized agencies, as well as Member States, on international
conventions or agreements or international regulations proposed for
adoption in respect of any provision thereof which affects the activities of
such organization or organizations, and shall bring the comments of such
organization or organizations to the attention of the Health Assembly
together with the comments received from governments.
Rule 11
Unless the Health Assembly decides otherwise in case of urgency,
proposals for new activities to be undertaken by the Organization may be
placed upon the supplementary agenda of any session only if such proposals
are received at least six weeks before the date of the opening of the session,
or if the proposal is one which should be referred to another organ of the
Organization for examination with a view to deciding whether action by the
Organization is desirable. Any such proposal shall be accompanied by an
explanatory memorandum.
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Rule 12
Subject to the provisions of Rule 11 regarding new activities and to the
provisions of Rule 98, a supplementary item may be added to the agenda
during any session, if upon the report of the General Committee the Health
Assembly so decides, provided that the request for the inclusion of the
supplementary item reaches the Organization no later than six days prior to
the opening of a regular session or no later than two days prior to the
opening of a special session. Any such request shall be accompanied by an
explanatory memorandum.
Rule 13
At each session the provisional agenda and, subject to Rule 12, any
proposed supplementary item, together with the report of the General
Committee thereon, shall be submitted to the Health Assembly for its
adoption as soon as possible after the opening of the session.
Rule 14
The Director-General shall report to the Health Assembly on the
technical, administrative and financial implications of all agenda items
submitted to the Health Assembly before they are considered by the Health
Assembly in plenary meeting. No proposal shall be considered in the
absence of such a report unless the Health Assembly decides otherwise in
case of urgency.
Rule 15
Copies of all reports and other documents relating to the provisional
agenda of any session shall be made available on the internet and sent by
the Director-General to Members and Associate Members and to
participating intergovernmental organizations at the same time as the
provisional agenda or not less than six weeks before the commencement of
a regular session of the Health Assembly; appropriate reports and
documents shall also be sent to nongovernmental organizations,
international business associations and philanthropic foundations in official
relations with the Organization in the same manner.
Rule 16
The Health Assembly shall not proceed, unless it determines otherwise,
to the discussion of any item on the agenda until at least 48 hours have
elapsed after the documents referred to in Rules 14 and 15 have been made
available to delegations.
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other participating intergovernmental organizations and nongovernmental
organizations, international business associations and philanthropic
foundations in official relations.
In plenary meetings the chief delegate may designate another delegate
who shall have the right to speak and vote in the name of her or his
delegation on any question. Moreover, upon the request of the chief delegate
or any delegate so designated by her or him the President may allow an
adviser to speak on any particular point, but the latter shall not vote in the
name of her or his delegation on any question.
Rule 21
Plenary meetings of the Health Assembly shall be held in public unless
the Health Assembly decides that exceptional circumstances require that the
meeting be held in private. The Health Assembly shall determine the
participation at private meetings beyond that of the delegations of Members,
the representatives of Associate Members and the representative of the
United Nations. Decisions of the Health Assembly taken at a private
meeting shall be announced at an early public meeting of the Health
Assembly.
Rule 22
Subject to any decision of the Health Assembly, the Director-General
shall make appropriate arrangements for the admission of the public and of
representatives of the Press and of other information agencies to the plenary
meetings of the Health Assembly.
Rule 23
Each Member, Associate Member, participating intergovernmental
organization and nongovernmental organization, international business
association and philanthropic foundation in official relations shall
communicate to the Director-General, if possible not less than 15 days
before the opening of the Health Assembly, the names of its representatives.
In the case of delegations of Members and Associate Members, such
communications shall take the form of credentials, indicating the names of
its delegates, alternates and advisers, and shall be issued by the Head of
State, the Head of Government, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the
Minister of Health or by any other appropriate authority. Such credentials
may be sent electronically or hand-delivered to the Director-General.
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COMMITTEE ON CREDENTIALS
Rule 24
A Committee on Credentials consisting of representatives of
12 Members shall be appointed at the beginning of each session by the
Health Assembly on the proposal of the President. This committee shall
elect its own officers. It shall assess whether the credentials of Members and
Associate Members are in conformity with the requirements of the Rules of
Procedure and report to the Health Assembly without delay. Pending a
decision by the Health Assembly on their credentials, representatives of
Members and Associate Members shall be seated provisionally with all the
rights pertaining to their participation in the Health Assembly. The
President shall be empowered to recommend to the Health Assembly the
acceptance of credentials received after the Committee on Credentials has
met.
Meetings of the Committee on Credentials shall be held in private.
OFFICERS OF THE HEALTH ASSEMBLY
Rule 25
At each regular session, the Health Assembly shall elect a President and
five Vice-Presidents, who shall hold office until their successors are elected.
Rule 26
In addition to exercising the powers which are conferred upon her or
him elsewhere by these Rules, the President shall declare the opening and
closing of each plenary meeting of the session, shall direct the discussions
in plenary meetings, ensure observance of these Rules, accord the right to
speak, put questions and announce decisions. He or she shall rule on points
of order, and, subject to these Rules, shall control the proceedings at any
meeting and shall maintain order thereat. The President may, in the course
of the discussion of any item, propose to the Health Assembly the limitation
of the time to be allowed to each speaker or the closure of the list of speakers.
Rule 27
The President may appoint one of the Vice-Presidents to take her or his
place during a meeting or any part thereof. A Vice-President acting as
President shall have the same powers and duties as the President.
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If the President is unable to perform her or his functions during the
remainder of the term for which he or she was elected, a new President shall
be elected from among the five Vice-Presidents by the Health Assembly for
the unexpired term.
If the President is unable to act in between sessions, one of the Vice-
Presidents shall act in her or his place. The order in which the Vice-
Presidents shall be requested to serve shall be determined by lot at the
session at which the election takes place.
Rule 28
The President, or a Vice-President acting as President, shall not vote, but
he or she may, if necessary, appoint another delegate or alternate delegate
from her or his delegation to act as the delegate of her or his government in
plenary meetings.
Rule 29
In the event that neither the President nor any Vice-President is present
at the opening of a session, the Director-General shall preside ad interim.
GENERAL COMMITTEE
Rule 30
The General Committee of the Health Assembly shall consist of the
President and Vice-Presidents of the Health Assembly, the Chairs of the
main committees of the Health Assembly established under Rule 33 and that
number of delegates to be elected by the Health Assembly as shall provide
a total of 25 members of the General Committee, provided that no
delegation may have more than one representative on the Committee. The
President of the Health Assembly shall convene, and preside over, meetings
of the General Committee.
Each member of the General Committee may be accompanied by not
more than one other member of her or his delegation.
The President or a Vice-President may designate a member of her or his
delegation as her or his substitute in her or his capacity as member during a
meeting or any part thereof. The Chair of a main committee shall, in the
case of absence, designate a Vice-Chair of the committee as her or his
substitute, provided that this Vice-Chair shall not have the right to vote if
he or she is of the same delegation as another member of the General
Committee. Each of the elected delegates shall be entitled to designate
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another member of her or his delegation to act as her or his substitute in the
event of her or his absence from any meeting of the General Committee.
Meetings of the General Committee shall be held in private unless it
decides otherwise.
Rule 31
1
Meetings of the General Committee may be attended by not more than
one member of each delegation to the Health Assembly not represented
thereon. Such members may participate without vote in the deliberations of
the General Committee if so invited by the Chair.
Rule 32
In addition to performing such duties as are specified elsewhere in these
Rules, the General Committee, in consultation with the Director-General
and subject to any decision of the Health Assembly, shall:
(a) decide the time and place of all plenary meetings, of the meetings of the
main committees and of all meetings of committees established at
plenary meetings during the session. Whenever practicable, the General
Committee shall make known a few days in advance the date and hour
of meetings of the Health Assembly and of the committees;
(b) determine the order of business at each plenary meeting during the
session;
(c) propose to the Health Assembly the initial allocation to committees of
items of the agenda, and if appropriate the deferment of any item to a
future Health Assembly;
(d) transfer subsequently items of the agenda allocated to committees from
one committee to another, if necessary;
(e) report on any additions to the agenda under Rule 12;
(f) coordinate the work of the main committees and all committees
established at plenary meetings during the session;
(g) fix the date of adjournment of the session; and
(h) otherwise facilitate the orderly dispatch of the business of the session.
_________
1
With regard to this Rule, the Eighth World Health Assembly (resolution WHA8.27 (1955)) adopted
the following interpretation:
The attendance of members of delegations under Rule 31 is limited to delegations not having one of
their members serving on the General Committee.
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MAIN COMMITTEES OF THE HEALTH ASSEMBLY
Rule 33
The main committees of the Health Assembly shall be:
(a) Committee A – to deal predominantly with programme and budget
matters;
(b) Committee B – to deal predominantly with administrative, financial and
legal matters.
In addition to these two main committees, the Health Assembly may
establish such other main committees as it may consider necessary.
The Health Assembly, after consideration of the recommendations of
the Board and the General Committee, shall allocate items of the agenda to
the two main committees in such a way as to provide an appropriate balance
in the work of these committees.
The Chairs of these main committees shall be elected by the Health
Assembly.
Rule 34
Each delegation shall be entitled to be represented on each main
committee by one of its members. He or she may be accompanied at
meetings of the committee by one or more other members, who may be
accorded permission to speak but shall not vote.
Rule 35
Each main committee shall elect two Vice-Chairs and a Rapporteur.
Rule 36
To facilitate the conduct of its business, a main committee may
designate an additional Vice-Chair ad interim if its Chair and Vice-Chairs
are not available.
Rule 37
The Chair of each main committee shall have in relation to the meetings
of the committee concerned the same powers and duties as the President of
the Health Assembly in relation to plenary meetings.
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Rule 38
Meetings of the main committees and their subcommittees shall be held
in public unless the committee or subcommittee concerned decides
otherwise.
Rule 39
Any main committee may set up such subcommittees or other
subdivisions as it considers necessary.
1
Rule 40
The members of each subcommittee shall be appointed by the main
committee concerned upon the proposal of its Chair. A member of a
subcommittee who is unable to be present at any meeting may be
represented by another member of her or his delegation.
Each subcommittee shall elect its own officers.
OTHER COMMITTEES OF THE HEALTH ASSEMBLY
Rule 41
The Health Assembly may appoint, or authorize the appointment of, any
other committee or subdivision which it deems necessary.
RAPPORTEURS
Rule 42
Any committee, subcommittee or other subdivision may appoint from
among its members one or more rapporteurs as required.
_________
1
The Executive Board has recommended that the establishment of working parties in the Health
Assembly should be restricted to the following purposes:
(1) to formulate a conclusion on which substantial agreement has been reached (whether unanimously
or by an evident majority);
(2) to make clear and state the issues that are before the committee for decision;
(3) to provide a committee with an expert opinion relevant to its discussions.
(Off. Rec. Wld Hlth Org., 33, 30)
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PARTICIPATION OF REPRESENTATIVES
OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Rule 43
The Board shall be represented at the Health Assembly by such person
or persons serving on the Board as the Board may determine. If any such
person is prevented from attending the Health Assembly, the Chair of the
Board shall appoint from amongst the members of the Board a
representative to replace her or him.
Rule 44
Representatives of the Board may attend plenary meetings and meetings
of the General Committee and main committees of the Health Assembly.
They may participate without vote in their deliberations on the invitation or
with the consent of the President of the Health Assembly or the chair of the
committee as the case may be.
PARTICIPATION OF REPRESENTATIVES OF ASSOCIATE MEMBERS,
INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, NON-STATE ACTORS
IN OFFICIAL RELATIONS, AND OBSERVERS OF NON-MEMBER STATES
AND TERRITORIES
Rule 45
Representatives of Associate Members may participate equally with
Members in meetings of the Health Assembly and of its main committees
except that they shall not hold office nor shall they have the right to vote.
They may participate equally with Members in other committees,
subcommittees or other subdivisions of the Health Assembly except the
General Committee and the Committee on Credentials.
Rule 46
Observers of invited non-Member States and territories on whose behalf
application for associate membership has been made may attend any open
meetings of the Health Assembly or any of its main committees. They may,
upon the invitation of the President, and with the consent of the Health
Assembly or committee, make a statement on the subject under discussion.
Such observers shall have access to non-confidential documents and to
such other documents as the Director-General may see fit to make available.
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They may submit memoranda to the Director-General, who shall determine
the nature and scope of their circulation.
Rule 47
Subject to the terms of any agreement, representatives of the United
Nations and of other intergovernmental organizations with which the
Organization has established effective relations under Article 70 of the
Constitution, may participate without vote in the deliberations of meetings
of the Health Assembly and its main committees. Such representatives may
also attend and participate without vote in the deliberations of the meetings
of subcommittees or other subdivisions if so invited.
They shall have access to non-confidential documents and to such other
documents as the Director-General may see fit to make available. They may
submit memoranda to the Director-General, who shall determine the nature
and scope of their circulation.
Rule 48
Representatives of nongovernmental organizations, international
business associations and philanthropic foundations in official relations
may be invited to attend plenary meetings and meetings of the main
committees of the Health Assembly and to participate without vote therein
in accordance with the Framework of Engagement with Non-State Actors,
when invited to do so by the President of the Health Assembly or by the
Chair of a main committee, respectively.
CONDUCT OF BUSINESS AT PLENARY MEETINGS
Rule 49
Formal proposals relating to items of the agenda should be introduced
at least 15 days before the opening of a regular session of the Health
Assembly and may, in any event, be introduced not later than the first day
of a regular session of the Health Assembly and no later than two days
before the opening of a special session. All such proposals shall be referred
to the committee to which the item of the agenda has been allocated, except
if the item is considered directly in a plenary meeting.
Rule 50
Proposals and amendments shall normally be introduced in writing and
handed to the Director-General, who shall circulate copies to the delegations.
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Except as may be decided otherwise by the Health Assembly, no proposal
shall be discussed or put to the vote at any meeting of the Health Assembly
unless copies of it have been circulated to all delegations at least two days
previously. The President may, however, permit the discussion and
consideration of amendments, even though they have not been circulated or
have only been circulated the same day.
Rule 51
The reports of all committees shall be submitted by these committees to
a plenary meeting. Such reports, including draft resolutions, shall be
distributed, in so far as practicable, at least 24 hours in advance of the
plenary meeting at which they are to be considered. Such reports, including
draft resolutions annexed thereto, shall not be read aloud in the plenary
meetings unless the President decides otherwise.
Rule 52
A majority of the Members represented at the session shall constitute a
quorum for the conduct of business at plenary meetings of the Health
Assembly.
Rule 53
No delegate may address the Health Assembly without having
previously obtained the permission of the President. The President shall call
upon speakers in the order in which they signify their desire to speak. The
President may call a speaker to order if his remarks are not relevant to the
subject under discussion.
Rule 54
The Director-General or a member of the Secretariat designated by her
or him may at any time make either oral or written statements to the Health
Assembly or to any of its committees or subdivisions concerning any
question under consideration.
Rule 55
The Health Assembly may limit the time allowed to each speaker.
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Rule 56
During the discussion of any matter a delegate or a representative of an
Associate Member may rise to a point of order
1
and the point of order shall
be immediately decided by the President. A delegate or a representative of
an Associate Member may appeal against the ruling of the President, in
which case the appeal shall immediately be put to the vote. A delegate or a
representative of an Associate Member rising to a point of order may not
speak on the substance of the matter under discussion, but on the point of
order only.
Rule 57
The right of reply shall be accorded by the President to any delegate or
representative of an Associate Member who requests it. Delegates and
representatives of Associate Members should in exercising this right
attempt to be as brief as possible and preferably deliver their statements at
the end of the meeting at which this right is requested.
Rule 58
During the course of a debate the President may announce the list of
speakers and, with the consent of the Health Assembly, declare the list
closed. He or she may, however, accord the right of reply to any member if
in her or his opinion a speech delivered after he or she has declared the list
closed makes this desirable.
Rule 59
During the discussion of any matter, a delegate or a representative of an
Associate Member may move the suspension or the adjournment of the
meeting or the suspension of the debate. Such motions shall not be debated,
but shall immediately be put to a vote.
For the purpose of these Rules “suspension of the meeting” means the
temporary postponement of the business of the meeting, “adjournment of
the meeting” the termination of all business until another meeting is called,
and “suspension of the debate” the postponement of further discussion on
the matter under discussion until later in the same session.
Rule 60
During the discussion of any matter a delegate or a representative of an
Associate Member may move the adjournment of the debate on the item
_________
1
For description of the concept of a point of order, see pp. 205–206.
RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE HEALTH ASSEMBLY
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under discussion. In addition to the proposer of the motion, one speaker may
speak in favour of, and one against, the motion, after which the motion to
adjourn the debate shall be immediately put to the vote.
Rule 61
A delegate or a representative of an Associate Member may at any time
move the closure of the debate on the item under discussion whether or not
any other delegate or representative of an Associate Member has signified
her or his wish to speak. If request is made for permission to speak against
closure, it may be accorded to not more than two speakers, after which the
motion shall be immediately put to the vote. If the Health Assembly decides
in favour of closure, the President shall declare the debate closed. The
Health Assembly shall thereafter vote only on the one or more proposals
moved before the closure.
Rule 62
The following motions shall have precedence in the following order over
all other proposals or motions before the meeting, except a point of order:
(a) to suspend the meeting;
(b) to adjourn the meeting;
(c) to adjourn the debate on the item under discussion; and
(d) for the closure of the debate on the item under discussion.
Rule 63
Subject to Rule 62, any motion calling for a decision on the competence
of the Health Assembly to adopt a proposal submitted to it shall be put to
the vote before a vote is taken on the proposal in question.
Rule 64
A delegate or a representative of an Associate Member may move that
parts of a proposal or of an amendment shall be voted on separately. If
objection is made to the request for division, the motion for division shall
be voted upon. Permission to speak on the motion for division shall be given
only to two speakers in favour and two speakers against. If the motion for
division is carried, those parts of the proposal or of the amendment which
are subsequently approved shall be put to the vote as a whole. If all operative
parts of the proposal or the amendment have been rejected, the proposal or
the amendment shall be considered to have been rejected as a whole.
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Rule 65
When an amendment to a proposal is moved, the amendment shall be
voted on first. When two or more amendments to a proposal are moved, the
Health Assembly shall first vote on the amendment deemed by the President
to be furthest removed in substance from the original proposal, and then on
the amendment next removed therefrom, and so on, until all the
amendments have been put to the vote. Where, however, the adoption of
one amendment necessarily implies the rejection of another amendment, the
latter amendment shall not be put to the vote. If one or more amendments
are adopted, the amended proposal shall then be voted upon. If an
amendment to a proposal has been accepted by the original proposer, such
an amendment shall be deemed to be an integral part of the original proposal
and no separate vote shall be required thereon. A motion is considered an
amendment to a proposal if it merely adds to, deletes from or revises part of
that proposal. A motion which constitutes a substitution for a proposal shall
be considered as a proposal.
Rule 66
If two or more proposals are moved, the Health Assembly shall, unless
it decides otherwise, vote on the proposals in the order in which they have
been circulated to all delegations, unless the result of a vote on a proposal
makes unnecessary any other voting on the proposal or proposals still
outstanding.
Rule 67
A motion may be withdrawn by its proposer at any time before voting
on it has commenced, provided that the motion has not been amended or, if
amended, that the proposer of the amendment agrees to the withdrawal. A
motion thus withdrawn may be reintroduced by any delegate.
Rule 68
When a proposal has been adopted or rejected, it may not be
reconsidered at the same session unless the Health Assembly, by a two-
thirds majority of the Members present and voting, so decides. Permission
to speak on a motion to reconsider shall be accorded only to two speakers
opposing the motion, after which it shall immediately be put to a vote. The
correction of a clerical or arithmetical error in any document concerning a
proposal which has already been adopted shall not be considered as
requiring the reopening of the debate on such proposal by a two-thirds
majority vote.
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may proceed with its work during the period before the results of the ballot
can be announced.
Rule 80
Elections shall normally be held by secret ballot.
1
Subject to the
provisions of Rule 110, and in the absence of any objection, the Health
Assembly may decide to proceed without taking a ballot on an agreed
candidate or list of candidates. Where a ballot is required, two or more
tellers appointed by the President from among the delegations present shall
assist in the counting of votes.
Rule 81
When only one person or Member is to be elected and no candidate
obtains in the first ballot the majority required, a second ballot shall be taken
which shall be restricted to the two candidates obtaining the largest number
of votes. If in the second ballot the votes are equally divided, the President
shall decide between the candidates by drawing lots.
Rule 82
When two or more elective places are to be filled at one time under the
same conditions, those candidates obtaining in the first ballot the majority
required shall be elected. If the number of candidates obtaining such
majority is less than the number of persons or Members to be elected, there
shall be additional ballots to fill the remaining places, the ballots being
restricted to the candidates obtaining the greatest number of votes in the
previous ballot to a number not more than twice the places remaining to be
filled; provided that, after the third inconclusive ballot, votes may be cast
for any eligible person or Member. If three such unrestricted ballots are
inconclusive, the next three ballots shall be restricted to the candidates who
obtained the greatest number of votes in the third of the unrestricted ballots,
to a number not more than twice the places remaining to be filled, and the
following three ballots thereafter shall be unrestricted, and so on until all
the places have been filled.
Rule 83
In an election each Member, unless he or she abstains, shall vote for that
number of candidates equal to the number of elective places to be filled.
_________
1
For Guiding Principles for the Conduct of Elections by Secret Ballot, see pp. 204–205.
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1
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Rule 94
As soon as possible after the close of each session, copies of all verbatim
and summary records, resolutions, recommendations and other formal
decisions adopted by the Health Assembly shall be transmitted by the
Director-General to Members and Associate Members, to the United
Nations and to all specialized agencies with which the Organization has
entered into effective relations. The records of private meetings shall be
transmitted to the participants only.
Rule 95
Verbatim and summary records of public meetings and the reports of all
committees and subcommittees shall be published.
Rule 96
The Director-General shall issue for the convenience of participating
delegations and organizations, in the form of a daily Journal of the session,
such summary account of the proceedings of plenary meetings, committees
and subcommittees as he or she may consider practicable.
BUDGET AND FINANCE
Rule 97
The Health Assembly shall:
(a) adopt the budget authorizing expenditure for the next financial period
after consideration of the Director-General’s budget estimates and the
Board’s recommendations thereon;
(b) consider and approve supplementary estimates for the current financial
period if and as necessary;
(c) examine reports of the auditor on the accounts of receipts and
expenditures for the preceding financial year or period and take such
action thereon as may be appropriate;
(d) consider the report of the Director-General on the payment of Members’
and Associate Members’ contributions.
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Rule 98
No proposal for a review of the apportionment of the contributions
among Members and Associate Members for the time being in force shall
be placed on the agenda unless it has been communicated to Members and
Associate Members at least 90 days before the opening of the session, or
unless the Board has recommended such review.
Rule 99
Except in so far as there is an express provision to the contrary in the
Financial Regulations, the procedure for the consideration of financial
matters shall be governed by these Rules.
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Rule 100
At each regular session of the Health Assembly, the Members entitled
to designate persons to serve on the Board shall be elected in accordance
with Articles 18(b), 24 and 25 of the Constitution.
Rule 101
At the commencement of each regular session of the Health Assembly
the President shall request Members desirous of putting forward suggestions
regarding the annual election of those Members to be entitled to designate
a person to serve on the Board to place their suggestions before the General
Committee. Such suggestions shall reach the Chair of the General
Committee not later than 24 hours after the President has made the
announcement in accordance with this Rule.
Rule 102
The General Committee, having regard to the provisions of Chapter VI
of the Constitution, to Rule 100, to the suggestions placed before it by
Members, and to the candidatures put forward by the members of the
General Committee during its meeting, shall by secret ballot draw up a list
consisting of at most 15 Members and at least the same number of Members
as the number of seats to be filled. This list shall be transmitted to the Health
Assembly at least 24 hours before the Health Assembly convenes for the
purpose of the annual election of Members to be entitled to designate a
person to serve on the Board.
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199
nominated and provided that such elections shall precede the annual election
of the Members entitled to designate a person to serve on the Board in
accordance with Rule 100.
Rule 105
The term of office of each Member entitled to designate a person to serve
on the Board shall begin immediately after the closing of the session of the
Health Assembly at which the Member concerned is elected and shall end
immediately after the closing of the session of the Health Assembly during
which the Member is replaced.
Rule 106
When a person designated to serve on the Board is prevented from
attending a meeting of the Board, the Member concerned may designate an
alternate to serve in her or his place for such a meeting, with the same status
as the person in whose place he or she is serving.
Rule 107
Should the person designated by any Member to serve on the Board, in
accordance with the provisions of Rules 100 and 106, fail to attend two
consecutive sessions of the Board, that fact shall be reported by the
Director-General to the next session of the Health Assembly and, unless the
Health Assembly decides otherwise, that Member shall be deemed to have
forfeited its right to designate a person to serve on the Board.
THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL
Rule 108
In pursuance of Article 31 of the Constitution, the Director-General shall
be appointed by the Health Assembly on the nomination of the Board and
on such terms as the Health Assembly may determine, subject to the
provisions of Rules 109 to 112 inclusive. The term of office of the Director-
General shall be five years, and he or she shall be eligible for reappointment
once only.
Rule 109
Whenever the office of Director-General is vacant or notice is received
of a pending vacancy, the Board shall, at its next meeting, make a
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nomination which shall be submitted to the next session of the Health
Assembly. It shall submit at the same time a draft contract establishing the
terms and conditions of appointment, salary and other emoluments attached
to the office.
Rule 110
The Health Assembly shall consider the Board’s nomination at a private
meeting and shall come to a decision by secret ballot.
1. If the Board nominates three persons, the following procedure shall
apply:
(a) If in the first ballot a candidate obtains a two-thirds majority or more
of the Members present and voting, this will be considered a clear
and strong majority and he or she will be appointed
Director-General. If no candidate obtains the required majority, the
candidate having received the least number of votes shall be
eliminated. If two candidates tie for the least number of votes, a
separate ballot shall be held between them and the candidate
receiving the least number of votes shall be eliminated.
(b) In the subsequent ballot, a candidate will be appointed
Director-General if he or she obtains a two-thirds majority or more
of the Members present and voting which will be considered a clear
and strong majority.
(c) If no candidate receives the majority indicated in subparagraph (b),
a candidate will be appointed Director-General if he or she receives
in the subsequent ballot a majority of the Member States of the
World Health Organization or more, which will be considered a
clear and strong majority.
(d) If no candidate receives the majority indicated in subparagraph (c),
a candidate will be appointed Director-General if he or she receives
in the subsequent ballot a majority or more of the Members present
and voting, which will be considered a clear and strong majority.
2. If the Board nominates two persons, the following procedure shall apply:
(a) a candidate will be appointed Director-General if he or she obtains
a two-thirds majority or more of the Members present and voting,
which will be considered a clear and strong majority.
(b) If no candidate receives the majority indicated in subparagraph (a),
a candidate will be appointed Director-General if he or she receives
in the subsequent ballot a majority of the Member States of the
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201
World Health Organization or more, which will be considered a
clear and strong majority.
(c) If no candidate receives the majority indicated in subparagraph (b),
a candidate will be appointed Director-General if he or she receives
in the subsequent ballot a majority or more of the Members present
and voting, which will be considered a clear and strong majority.
3. If the Board nominates one person, the Health Assembly shall decide by
a two-thirds majority of the Members present and voting.
Rule 111
Should the Health Assembly reject the Board’s nomination, the Board
shall submit a fresh proposal as soon as circumstances permit, with due
regard to the desirability of disposing of the matter before the conclusion of
the relevant session of the Health Assembly.
Rule 112
The contract of appointment shall be approved by the Health Assembly
and shall be signed jointly by the Director-General and by the President of
the Health Assembly acting in the name of the Organization.
Rule 113
In any case where the Director-General is unable to perform the
functions of her or his office, or in the case of a vacancy in such office, the
senior officer of the Secretariat shall serve as Acting Director-General,
subject to any decision by the Board.
Rule 114
In addition to exercising the functions conferred upon her or him by the
Constitution as chief technical and administrative officer of the
Organization, the Director-General, subject to the authority of the Board,
shall perform such duties as are specified elsewhere in these Rules and in
the Financial Regulations and Staff Regulations and as may be assigned to
her or him by the Health Assembly or by the Board.
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ADMISSION OF MEMBERS AND ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Rule 115
Applications made by a State for admission to membership or
applications made by a Member or other authority having the responsibility
for the international relations of a territory or group of territories on behalf
of such territory or group of territories for admission to associate
membership in the Organization shall, in pursuance of Articles 6 and 8 of
the Constitution, be addressed to the Director-General and shall be
transmitted immediately by her or him to Members.
Any such application shall be placed on the agenda of the next session
of the Health Assembly provided the application reaches the
Director-General at least 30 days before the opening of such session.
An application for membership made by a State formerly an Associate
Member may be received at any time by the Health Assembly.
Rule 116
The approval by the Health Assembly of any request for membership
shall be immediately communicated to the State which has submitted it.
Such State, in accordance with Article 79 of the Constitution, may then
deposit with the Secretary-General of the United Nations a formal
instrument of acceptance of the Constitution and shall become a Member
from the date of such deposit.
Rule 117
The approval by the Health Assembly of any request for associate
membership by a Member or other authority having responsibility for the
international relations of a territory or group of territories on behalf of such
territory or group of territories shall be communicated immediately to the
Member or other authority which has submitted the request. Such Member
or other authority shall give notice to the Organization of acceptance on
behalf of the Associate Member of associate membership. The territory or
group of territories shall become an Associate Member from the date on
which such notice is received.
Rule 118
A Member or other authority responsible for the international relations
of an Associate Member, who gives notice of acceptance on behalf of such
Associate Member under Rule 117, shall include in such notice a statement
that the Member or other authority assumes the responsibility for ensuring
RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE HEALTH ASSEMBLY
203
the application of Articles 66 to 68 of the Constitution with regard to that
Associate Member.
AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION
Rule 119
In pursuance of Article 73 of the Constitution, the texts of proposed
amendments to the Constitution shall be communicated to the
Director-General in such time as will permit of the transmission of copies
thereof by the Director-General to Members not later than six months before
the opening day of the session of the Health Assembly at which they are
intended to be considered.
Rule 120
Members accepting amendments adopted by the Health Assembly in
accordance with Article 73 of the Constitution shall effect their acceptance
by depositing a formal instrument with the Secretary-General of the United
Nations.
AMENDMENT AND SUSPENSION OF RULES OF PROCEDURE
Rule 121
Amendments of, or additions to, these Rules may be adopted at any
plenary meeting of the Health Assembly, provided that the Health Assembly
has received and considered a report thereon by an appropriate committee.
Rule 122
Subject to the provisions of the Constitution, any of these Rules may be
suspended at any plenary meeting of the Health Assembly, provided that
notice of the intention to propose suspension has been communicated to
delegations not less than 24 hours before the meeting at which the proposal
is to be made.
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BASIC DOCUMENTS
Guiding Principles for the Conduct of Elections by Secret Ballot
1. Before voting begins, the President shall hand to the tellers appointed by her or him the list of
Members entitled to vote and the list of candidates. For the elections of Members entitled to designate
persons to serve on the Executive Board or of the Director-General, the list of candidates shall include
only those nominations submitted to the World Health Assembly in accordance with the procedure
laid down in Rules 102 and 110 respectively of the Rules of Procedure of the World Health Assembly.
2. The Secretariat shall distribute a ballot paper to each delegation. Every ballot paper shall be of
the same size and colour without distinguishing marks.
3. The tellers shall satisfy themselves that the ballot box or ballot boxes is/are empty and, having
locked it/them, shall hand the key/keys to the President.
4. Except as otherwise determined by the Health Assembly, Members shall be called in turn to vote
in the required alphabetical order of their names,
1
beginning with the name of a Member which shall
have been drawn by lot. The call shall be made in English, French, Russian and Spanish.
5. The secretary of the meeting and the tellers shall record each Member’s vote by marking the
margin of the list of Members entitled to vote opposite to the name of the Member in question.
6. At the conclusion of the calling of Members, the President shall ensure that all the Members
present and entitled to vote have been called. He or she shall then declare the voting closed and
announce that the votes are to be counted.
7. When the ballot box or ballot boxes has/have been opened, the tellers shall count the number of
ballot papers. If the number is not equal to that of the voters, the President shall declare the vote
invalid and another ballot shall be held.
8. Where the counting of votes takes place outside the Assembly Hall, the ballot papers shall be
returned to the ballot box which shall be taken by the tellers to the room where the votes are to be
counted.
9. One of the tellers shall then read aloud the names which are on the ballot paper. The number of
votes obtained by each of the candidates mentioned shall be written opposite their names by one of
the other tellers on a document drawn up for this purpose.
10. A ballot paper on which no names are written or which bears the word “abstention” shall be
considered as signifying an abstention.
11. The following shall be considered null and void:
(a) ballot papers on which there are more or fewer names than there are elective places to be
filled or on which the name of any candidate appears more than once;
(b) ballot papers in which the voters have revealed their identity, in particular by apposing
their signature or mentioning the name of the Member they represent;
(c) where the Rules of Procedure so require, ballot papers bearing the names of candidates
other than those nominated in accordance with the provisions of those Rules.
12. When the counting of the votes is completed, the tellers shall indicate the results in a document
drawn up for this purpose, which they shall sign and hand to the President. The latter, in plenary
meeting, shall announce the results in the following order: number of Members entitled to vote;
number absent; number of abstentions; number of ballot papers null and void; number of Members
present and voting; number required for a majority; names of candidates and the number of votes
secured by each of them, in descending order of the number of votes.
_________
1
Under Rule 74 of the Rules of Procedure of the World Health Assembly.
RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE HEALTH ASSEMBLY
205
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BASIC DOCUMENTS
Nevertheless, both the presiding officer and delegations may request information or clarification
regarding a point of order. In addition, the presiding officer may, if he or she considers it necessary,
request an expression of views from delegations on a point of order before giving her or his ruling;
in the exceptional cases in which this practice is resorted to, the presiding officer should terminate
the exchange of views and give her or his ruling as soon as he or she is ready to announce that ruling.
(d) Rule 56 provides that a delegate or a representative of an Associate Member rising to a point of
order may not speak on the substance of the matter under discussion. Consequently, the purely
procedural nature of points of order calls for brevity. The presiding officer is responsible for ensuring
that statements made on a point of order are in conformity with the present description.
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RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
1,2
MEMBERSHIP AND ATTENDANCE
Rule 1
The Executive Board (hereinafter referred to as the “Board”) shall, in
accordance with Chapter VI of the Constitution of the World Health
Organization (hereinafter referred to as the “Organization”) and Rules 100–
107 of the Rules of Procedure of the World Health Assembly (hereinafter
referred to as the “Health Assembly”) consist of and be attended by the
persons (hereinafter referred to as the “members”) duly designated to serve
on the Board.
Rule 2
Each State Member entitled to designate a person to serve on the Board
shall inform the Director-General in writing of the names of the person
designated and of any alternate and adviser. The Director-General shall
similarly be informed of any change in such designation.
Rule 3
All Member States not represented on the Board and Associate Members
may designate a representative who shall have the right to participate without
vote in the deliberations of meetings of the Board and of committees of
limited membership (as defined in Rule 18) established by it.
The cost of representation under this Rule shall be borne by the Member
State or Associate Member concerned.
Representatives of Member States and Associate Members participating
in meetings under this Rule shall have the following rights: (a) the right to
speak after members of the Board; (b) the right to make proposals, and
_________
1
Text adopted by the Executive Board at its seventeenth session (resolution EB17.R63) and amended at
its twentieth, twenty-first, twenty-second, twenty-eighth, thirty-first, thirty-seventh, fifty-third,
fifty-seventh, ninety-seventh, 102nd, 112th, 121st, 122nd, 126th, 132nd, 134th, 143rd and 144th sessions
(resolutions EB20.R24, EB21.R52, EB22.R11, EB28.R21, EB31.R15, EB37.R24, EB53.R29, EB53.R37,
EB57.R38, EB97.R10, EB102.R1, EB112.R1, EB121.R1, EB122.R8, EB126.R8, EB132.R13 and decisions
EB134(3), EB143(7), EB144(3) and EB144(4)).
2
In accordance with resolution WHA57.8 (2004), the use of one gender in Basic documents shall be
considered as including a reference to the other unless the context otherwise requires. Pursuant to decisions
WHA72(21) (2019) and EB144(4) (2019), gender-specific language has been replaced or supplemented in
the English version of the Rules of Procedure of the World Health Assembly and the Rules of Procedure of
the Executive Board, respectively, so as to indicate both feminine and masculine forms.
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BASIC DOCUMENTS
amendments to proposals, which shall be considered by the Board only if
seconded by a Board member; and (c) the right of reply.
Rule 4
Subject to the terms of any relevant agreement, representatives of the
United Nations and of other intergovernmental organizations with which the
Organization has established effective relations under Article 70 of the
Constitution may participate without vote in the deliberations of meetings of
the Board and its committees. Such representatives may also attend and
participate without vote in the deliberations of the meetings of subcommittees
or other subdivisions if so invited.
Representatives of nongovernmental organizations, international business
associations and philanthropic foundations in official relations with the
Organization may participate in the deliberations of the Board as is provided
for in the Framework of Engagement with Non-State Actors.
1
SESSIONS
Rule 5
The Board shall hold at least two sessions a year. It shall determine at
each session the time and place of its next session.
Notices convening the Board shall be sent by the Director-General eight
weeks before the commencement of a regular session to the members of the
Board, to Member States and Associate Members and to the organizations
referred to in Rule 4 invited to be represented at the session.
Documents for the session shall be dispatched by the Director-General
not less than six weeks before the commencement of a regular session of the
Board. They shall be made available in electronic form in the working
languages of the Board on the internet site of the Organization.
Documents for the session should conform to the functions of the Board
and contain the information required by Rule 21 and clear recommendations
for Board action.
Rule 6
The Director-General shall also convene the Board at the joint request of
any 10 members, addressed to her or him in writing and stating the reason for
the request. In this case the Board shall be convened within 30 days following
receipt of the request and the session shall be held at headquarters unless the
Director-General, in consultation with the Chair, determines otherwise. The
_________
1
For the Framework of Engagement with Non-State Actors, see pp. 97–135.
RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
209
agenda of such a session shall be limited to the questions having necessitated
that session.
If events occur requiring immediate action under Article 28(i) of the
Constitution the Director-General may, in consultation with the Chair,
convene the Board in a special session and shall fix the date and determine
the place of the session.
Rule 7
Attendance at meetings of the Board shall, in addition to members of the
Board, their alternates and advisers, be as follows:
(a) public meetings: Member States not represented on the Board, Associate
Members, representatives of the United Nations and other organizations
identified in Rule 4 and members of the public; or
(b) private meetings: Member States not represented on the Board and
Associate Members and the Secretariat; or
(c) restricted meetings, held for a specific purpose and under exceptional
circumstances: essential Secretariat staff, and such others as may be
decided by the Board.
Meetings of the Board related to the nomination of the Director-General
as provided for in Rule 62, and for the appointment of the Regional Directors,
shall be as provided in subparagraph (b) above, except that only one
representative of each Member State not represented on the Board and of each
Associate Member may attend without the right to participate, and that no
official record shall be made.
AGENDA
Rule 8
The Director-General shall draw up a draft provisional agenda for each
session of the Board, which shall be circulated to Member States and
Associate Members within four weeks after the closure of its previous session.
Any proposal for the inclusion on the agenda of any item under (c), (d)
and (e) of Rule 9 shall reach the Director-General not later than 12 weeks
after circulation of the draft provisional agenda or 10 weeks before
commencement of the session, whichever is earlier.
The provisional agenda of each session shall be drawn up by the Director-
General in consultation with the Officers of the Board, on the basis of the
draft provisional agenda and any proposals received under the second
paragraph of this Rule.
* Please note that Rule 7 has been amended in accordance with decision
EB146(22) (2020).
*
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Where the Director-General and the Officers find it necessary to
recommend the deferral or exclusion of proposals received under the second
paragraph of this Rule, the provisional agenda shall contain an explanation
for such recommendation.
An annotated provisional agenda, together with any recommendations
referred to in the fourth paragraph of this Rule shall be dispatched with the
notice of convocation to be sent in accordance with Rule 5 or Rule 6, as the
case may be.
Rule 9
Except in the case of sessions convened under Rule 6, and subject to Rule
8, the provisional agenda of each session shall include, inter alia:
(a) all items the inclusion of which has been ordered by the Health Assembly;
(b) all items the inclusion of which has been ordered by the Board at a
previous session;
(c) any item proposed by a Member State or Associate Member of the
Organization;
(d) subject to such preliminary consultation as may be necessary between the
Director-General and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, any
item proposed by the United Nations;
(e) any item proposed by any specialized agency with which the Organization
has entered into effective relations; and
(f) any item proposed by the Director-General.
Any proposal for inclusion on the agenda of any item under (c), (d), (e)
and (f) above shall be accompanied by an explanatory memorandum, except
in the case of standing or recurring items proposed by the Director-General
under (f).
Rule 10
Except in the case of special sessions convened under Rule 6, any
authority referred to in Rule 9 may propose one or more additional items of
an urgent nature for inclusion in a supplementary provisional agenda after the
deadline referred to in the second paragraph of Rule 8 and before the opening
day of the session. Any such proposal shall be accompanied by a supporting
statement from the authority initiating it. The Director-General shall include
any such item in a supplementary provisional agenda which the Board shall
examine together with the provisional agenda.
RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
211
Rule 11
The Board, subject to its constitutional mandate and having regard to the
resolutions and decisions of the Health Assembly, shall adopt its agenda at
the opening meeting of each session on the basis of the provisional agenda,
together with any supplement thereto. In adopting its agenda, the Board may
decide to add to, delete from, or amend, the provisional agenda and any
supplement thereto.
Rule 12
The Board shall not proceed, unless it determines otherwise, to the
discussion of any item on the agenda until at least 48 hours have elapsed after
the relevant documents have been made available to the members.
OFFICERS OF THE BOARD
Rule 13
The Board shall elect its Officers, viz. a Chair, four Vice-Chairs and one
Rapporteur, from among its members each year at its first session after the
Health Assembly, following a principle of rotation among geographical
regions. These Officers shall hold office until their successors are elected.
The Chair shall not become eligible for re-election until two years have
elapsed since he or she ceased to hold office.
Rule 14
In addition to exercising such powers as are conferred upon her or him
elsewhere by these Rules, the Chair shall declare the opening and closing of
each meeting of the Board, shall direct the discussions, accord the right to
speak, put questions, announce decisions and ensure the application of these
Rules. The Chair shall accord to speakers the right to speak in the order of
their requests. He or she may call to order any speaker whose remarks are
irrelevant to the subject under discussion.
Rule 15
If the Chair is absent from a meeting or any part thereof, he or she shall
designate one of the Vice-Chairs to preside. The same procedure shall be
followed when the Chair is unable to attend a session of the Board.
If the Chair is unable to make this designation, the Board shall elect one
of the Vice-Chairs to preside during the session or meeting.
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BASIC DOCUMENTS
Rule 16
The Chair, or a Vice-Chair acting as Chair, shall not vote, but he or she
may, if necessary, appoint an alternate from her or his delegation in
accordance with Rule 30.
Rule 17
If the Chair for any reason is unable to complete her or his term of office,
the Board shall elect a new Chair for the remaining period of her or his term.
If the Chair is unable to act in between sessions, one of the Vice-Chairs
shall act in her or his place. The order in which the Vice-Chairs shall be
requested to serve shall be determined by lot at the session at which the
election takes place.
COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD
Rule 18
The Board may establish such committees as it may deem necessary for
the study of, and reporting on, any item on its agenda. Standing committees
established by the Board shall be composed of members of the Board or their
alternates (referred to in these Rules as “committees of limited membership”).
All Member States and Associate Members shall have the right to attend such
committees in accordance with Rule 3. All committees other than standing
committees shall be open-ended, composed of all interested Member States
of the Organization (referred to in these Rules as “open-ended committees”),
unless the Board decides otherwise, for a specific purpose and under
exceptional circumstances.
The composition of committees of limited membership shall be
determined by the Board, after hearing any proposals made by the Chair,
respecting the principles of equitable geographical representation, gender
balance and balanced representation of developing and developed countries
and countries in transition, having regard to the membership of the Board.
In committees of limited membership, the Chairs and all other officers
deemed necessary shall be determined by the Board or, in the absence thereof,
by the committees themselves, respecting the principles of equitable
geographical representation, gender balance and balanced representation of
developing and developed countries and countries in transition. The Chair
and officers shall rotate regularly between regions and, wherever applicable,
between developed and developing countries and countries in transition
within the regions.
In open-ended committees, the Chairs and any other officer deemed
necessary shall be determined by the Board or, in the absence thereof, by the
RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
213
committees themselves, respecting the principles of equitable geographical
representation, gender balance and balanced representation of developing and
developed countries and countries in transition.
The Board shall review from time to time the need to maintain any
committee established under its authority.
Rule 19
Subject to any decision of the Board, and as provided in these Rules, the
procedure governing the conduct of business and voting in committees
established by the Board shall conform as far as practicable to the Rules
relating to the conduct of business and voting in plenary meetings of the
Board. Open-ended committees shall conduct their business on the basis of
consensus. In the event of an inability to reach consensus, the difference of
views shall be reported to the Board.
In the case of committees of limited membership, a majority of the
members shall constitute a quorum.
No distinction in terms of rights of participation in open-ended
committees shall be made between members of the Board and Member States
not represented on the Board.
SECRETARIAT
Rule 20
The Director-General shall be ex officio Secretary of the Board and of
any subdivision thereof. He or she may delegate these functions.
Rule 21
The Director-General shall report to the Board on the technical,
administrative and financial implications, if any, of all agenda items
submitted to the Board.
Rule 22
The Director-General or a member of the Secretariat designated by her or
him may at any time make either oral or written statements concerning any
question under consideration.
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BASIC DOCUMENTS
Rule 23
The Secretariat shall prepare summary records of the meetings. These
summary records shall be prepared in the working languages and shall be
distributed to the members as soon as possible after the close of the meetings
to which they relate. Members shall inform the Secretariat in writing of any
corrections they wish to have made, within such period of time as shall be
indicated by the Director-General, having regard to the circumstances.
Rule 24
Reports of each session of the Board, containing all resolutions,
recommendations and other formal decisions, as well as the summary records
of the Board and of its committees, shall be communicated by the Director-
General to all Member States and Associate Members of the Organization.
Such reports shall also be submitted to the subsequent Health Assembly so
that it may take such action as appropriate, for information, endorsement or
approval, having regard to the respective functions of the Health Assembly
and of the Board as set forth in the Constitution.
LANGUAGES
1
Rule 25
Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish shall be both the
official and the working languages of the Board.
Rule 26
Speeches made in an official language shall be interpreted into the other
official languages in all meetings of the Board and of committees established
by it.
Rule 27
Any member, or representative of a State Member or of an Associate
Member, or of an invited non-Member State may speak in a language other
than the official languages. In this case he or she shall herself or himself
provide for interpretation into one of the working languages. Interpretation
into the other working languages by interpreters of the Secretariat may be
based on the interpretation given in the first working language.
_________
1
See resolution WHA31.13 (1978).
RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
215
Rule 28
All resolutions, recommendations and other formal decisions of the Board
shall be made available in the working languages.
CONDUCT OF BUSINESS
Rule 29
Two thirds of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.
Rule 30
A member may at any time request her or his alternate designated in
accordance with Article 24 of the Constitution to speak and vote on her or his
behalf on any question. Moreover, upon the request of the member or her or
his alternate, the Chair may allow an adviser to speak on any particular point
and, in the absence of the member or her or his alternate, if so requested in
writing by the member or her or his alternate, to speak and vote on any
question.
Rule 31
The Board may limit the time allowed to each speaker.
Rule 32
Proposals for resolutions or decisions to be considered by the Board
relating to items of the agenda should be introduced at least 15 days before
the opening of the session and may, in any event, be introduced not later than
the close of the first day of the session. However, if a session is scheduled for
two days or less, such proposals may be introduced no later than 48 hours
prior to the opening of the session. The Board may, if it deems it appropriate,
permit the late introduction of such proposals.
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BASIC DOCUMENTS
Rule 33
Proposals and amendments related to items on the agenda shall normally
be introduced in writing and handed to the Director-General, who shall
circulate copies to the delegations. Except as may be decided otherwise by
the Board, no proposal shall be discussed or put to the vote at any meeting of
the Board unless copies of it have been circulated to all delegations at least
24 hours previously. The Chair may, however, permit the discussion and
consideration of amendments, even though they have not been circulated or
have only been circulated the same day.
Rule 34
During the discussion of any matter, a member may rise to a point of order,
and the point of order shall be immediately decided by the Chair. A member
may appeal against the ruling of the Chair, in which case the appeal shall
immediately be put to the vote. A member rising to a point of order may not
speak on the substance of the matter under discussion but on the point of order
only.
Rule 35
During the course of a debate the Chair may announce the list of speakers
and, with the consent of the Board, declare the list closed. He or she may,
however, accord the right of reply to any member if in her or his opinion a
speech delivered after he or she has declared the list closed makes it desirable.
Rule 36
The right of reply shall be accorded by the Chair to any member who
requests it. Members should, in exercising this right, attempt to be as brief as
possible and preferably deliver their statements at the end of the meeting at
which this right is requested.
Rule 37
The following motions shall have precedence in the following order over
all other proposals or motions before the meeting, except a point of order:
(a) to suspend the meeting;
(b) to adjourn the meeting;
(c) to adjourn the debate on the item under discussion; and
(d) for the closure of the debate on the item under discussion.
RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
217
Rule 38
Subject to Rule 37, any motion calling for a decision on the competence
of the Board to adopt a proposal submitted to it shall be put to the vote before
a vote is taken on the proposal in question.
Rule 39
During the discussion on any matter, a member may move the suspension
or the adjournment of the meeting or the suspension of the debate. Such
motions shall not be debated, but shall immediately be put to a vote. For the
purpose of these Rules “suspension of the meeting” means the temporary
cessation of the business of the meeting, “adjournment of the meeting” means
the termination of all business until another meeting is called, and
“suspension of the debate” means the postponement of further discussion on
the matter under discussion until later in the same session.
Rule 40
During the discussion of any matter, a member may move the
adjournment of the debate on the item under discussion. In addition to the
proposer of the motion, one speaker may speak in favour of, and one against,
the motion, after which the motion to adjourn the debate shall be immediately
put to the vote.
Rule 41
A member may at any time move the closure of the debate on the item
under discussion whether or not any other member has signified her or his
wish to speak. If request is made for permission to speak against closure, it
may be accorded to not more than two speakers, after which the motion shall
be immediately put to the vote. If the Board decides in favour of closure the
Chair shall declare the debate closed. The Board shall thereafter vote only on
the one or more proposals moved before the closure.
Rule 42
A member may move that parts of a proposal or of an amendment shall
be voted on separately. If objection is made to the motion for division, the
motion for division shall be voted upon. Permission to speak on the motion
for division shall be given only to two speakers in favour and two speakers
against. If the motion for division is carried, those parts of the proposal or of
the amendment which are separately approved shall subsequently be put to
the vote as a whole. If all operative parts of the proposal or the amendment
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BASIC DOCUMENTS
have been rejected, the proposal or the amendment shall be considered to
have been rejected as a whole.
Rule 43
When an amendment to a proposal is moved, the amendment shall be
voted on first. When two or more amendments are moved to a proposal, the
Board shall first vote on the amendment deemed by the Chair to be furthest
removed in substance from the original proposal and then on the amendment
next removed therefrom, and so on, until all the amendments have been put
to the vote. Where, however, the adoption of one amendment necessarily
implies the rejection of another amendment, the latter amendment shall not
be put to the vote. If one or more amendments are adopted the amended
proposal shall then be voted upon.
A motion is considered an amendment to a proposal, if it merely adds to,
deletes from, or revises part of that proposal. A motion which constitutes a
substitution for a proposal shall be considered as a proposal.
Rule 44
If two or more proposals are moved, the Board shall, unless it decides
otherwise, vote on the proposals in the order in which they have been
circulated to all delegations, unless the result of a vote on a proposal makes
unnecessary any other voting on the proposal or proposals still outstanding.
Rule 45
A motion may be withdrawn by its proposer at any time before voting on
it has commenced, provided that the motion has not been amended or, if
amended, that the proposer of the amendment agrees to the withdrawal. A
motion thus withdrawn may be reintroduced by any member.
Rule 46
When a proposal has been adopted or rejected it may not be reconsidered
at the same session unless the Board, by a two-thirds majority of the members
present and voting, so decides. Permission to speak on a motion to reconsider
shall be accorded only to two speakers opposing the motion, after which it
shall be immediately put to the vote.
RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
219
Rule 47
The Chair may at any time require any proposal, motion, resolution, or
amendment to be seconded.
VOTING
Rule 48
Each member of the Board shall have one vote. For the purpose of these
Rules, the phrase “members present and voting” means members casting a
valid affirmative or negative vote. Members abstaining from voting shall be
considered as not voting.
Rule 49
Decisions by the Board on important questions shall be made by a
two-thirds majority of the members present and voting. These questions shall
include:
(a) recommendations on: (i) the adoption of conventions and agreements, (ii)
the approval of agreements bringing the Organization into relation with
the United Nations and intergovernmental organizations and agencies in
accordance with Articles 69, 70 and 72 of the Constitution, (iii)
amendments to the Constitution, (iv) the effective working budget, and (v)
suspension of the voting privileges and services of a Member State under
Article 7 of the Constitution; and
(b) decisions to suspend or amend these Rules of Procedure.
Except as otherwise provided by the Constitution of the Organization, or
decided by the Health Assembly, or laid down in these Rules, the decisions
of the Board on other questions, including the determination of additional
questions to be decided by a two-thirds majority, shall be made by a majority
of the members present and voting.
Rule 50
If the votes are equally divided on a matter other than an election the
proposal shall be regarded as not adopted.
Rule 51
The Board shall normally vote by show of hands, except that any member
may request a recorded vote. Where an appropriate electronic system is
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BASIC DOCUMENTS
available, the Board may decide to conduct any vote under this Rule by
electronic means.
Rule 52
When the Executive Board conducts a recorded vote without using
electronic means, the vote shall be conducted through a roll-call, which shall
be taken in the alphabetical order of the names of the members. The name of
the member to vote first shall be determined by lot.
Rule 53
The vote of each member participating in a recorded vote shall be inserted
in the records.
Rule 54
After the Chair has announced the beginning of voting, no member shall
interrupt the voting except on a point of order in connexion with the actual
conduct of voting.
Rule 55
After the voting has been completed, a member may make a brief statement,
consisting solely of an explanation of vote. A sponsor of a proposal shall not
speak in explanation of vote thereon, except if it has been amended.
Rule 56
Elections shall normally be held by secret ballot. Except as concerns the
nomination of the Director-General and the appointment of the Regional
Directors, and in the absence of any objection the Board may decide to
proceed without taking a ballot on an agreed candidate or list of candidates.
Where a ballot is required, two tellers appointed by the Chair from among the
members present shall assist in the counting of votes.
The nomination of the Director-General shall be decided by secret ballot
in accordance with Rule 62.
Subject to Article 54 of the Constitution, the appointment of a Regional
Director shall be for five years and he or she shall be eligible for
reappointment once only.
Rule 57
In addition to the cases provided for elsewhere by these Rules the Board
may vote on any matter by secret ballot if it has previously so decided by a
RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
221
majority of the members present and voting, provided that no secret ballot
may be taken on budgetary questions.
A decision under this Rule by the Board whether or not to vote by secret
ballot may only be taken by a show of hands; if the Board has decided to vote
on a particular question by secret ballot, no other mode of voting may be
requested or decided upon.
Rule 58
Subject to the provisions of Rule 62, when only one elective place is to
be filled and no candidate obtains in the first ballot the majority required, a
second ballot shall be taken which shall be restricted to the two candidates
obtaining the largest number of votes; if in the second ballot the votes are
equally divided, the Chair shall decide between the candidates by drawing
lots.
Rule 59
When two or more elective places are to be filled at one time under the
same conditions, those candidates obtaining in the first ballot the majority
required shall be elected. If the number of candidates obtaining such majority
is less than the number of places to be filled, there shall be additional ballots
to fill the remaining places, the ballots being restricted to the candidates
obtaining the greatest number of votes in the previous ballot to a number not
more than twice the places remaining to be filled.
Rule 60
In an election each member, unless he or she abstains, shall vote for that
number of candidates equal to the number of elective places to be filled. Any
ballot paper on which there are more or fewer names than there are elective
places to be filled shall be null and void.
Rule 61
If during an election one or more elective places cannot be filled by reason
of an equal number of votes having been obtained by two or more candidates,
a ballot shall be held among such candidates to determine which of them will
be elected. This procedure may be repeated if necessary.
Rule 62
At least nine months before the date fixed for the opening of a session of
the Board at which a nomination for the post of Director-General has to take
* Please note that Rule 62 has been amended in accordance with decision
EB147(12) (2020).
*
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BASIC DOCUMENTS
place, the Director-General shall inform Member States that they may
propose persons for nomination by the Board for the post of Director-General.
Any Member State may propose for the post of Director-General one or
more persons, submitting with the proposal the curriculum vitae or other
supporting information for each person. Such proposals shall be sent under
confidential sealed cover to the Chair of the Executive Board, care of the
World Health Organization in Geneva (Switzerland), so as to reach the
headquarters of the Organization not less than four months before the date
fixed for the opening of the session.
The Chair of the Board shall open the proposals received sufficiently in
advance of the session so as to ensure that all proposals, curricula vitae and
supporting information are translated into all official languages, duplicated
and dispatched to all Member States three months before the date fixed for
the opening of the session.
Immediately after the dispatch to Member States of the proposals,
curricula vitae and supporting information, the Director-General shall, in
consultation with the Chair of the Board, convene a candidates’ forum open
to all Member States and Associate Members, to which all candidates will be
invited to make themselves and their vision known to Member States on an
equal basis. The candidates’ forum shall be chaired by the Chair of the Board
and shall be held not later than two months before the opening of the session.
The Board shall decide on the modalities of the candidates’ forum. The
candidates’ forum shall not be convened in case only one person has been
proposed for the post of Director-General.
If no proposals have been received by the deadline referred to in the
second paragraph of this Rule, the Director-General shall immediately inform
all Member States of this fact and that they may propose persons for
nomination in accordance with this Rule, provided such proposals reach the
Chair of the Board at least two weeks prior to the date fixed for the opening
of the session of the Board. The Chair shall inform Member States of all such
proposals as soon as possible.
All members of the Board shall have the opportunity to participate in an
initial screening of all candidatures in order to eliminate those candidates not
meeting the criteria proposed by the Board and approved by the Health
Assembly.
The Board shall decide, by a mechanism to be determined by it,
underscoring the paramount importance of professional qualifications and
integrity and paying due regard to equitable geographical representation and
gender balance, on a short list of candidates. This short list shall be drawn up
at the commencement of its session, and the selected candidates shall be
interviewed by the Board meeting as a whole as soon as possible thereafter.
The interviews should consist of a presentation by each selected candidate
in addition to answers to questions from members of the Board. If necessary,
RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
223
the Board may extend the session in order to hold the interviews and make
its selection.
The Board shall fix a date for the meeting at which it shall nominate three
persons by secret ballot from among the candidates on the short list. In
exceptional circumstances where the nomination of three candidates is not
practicable such as where there are only one or two candidates, the Board
may decide to nominate fewer than three candidates.
For the purpose of nominating three candidates, each member of the
Board shall write on her or his ballot paper the names of three candidates,
chosen from the short list. Those candidates obtaining in the first ballot the
majority required shall be elected. If the number of candidates obtaining such
majority is less than the number of places to be filled, the candidate having
received the least number of votes shall be eliminated at each ballot. If two
candidates tie for the least number of votes, a separate ballot shall be held
between them and the candidate receiving the least number of votes shall be
eliminated. The same mechanism shall apply, mutatis mutandis, when the
Board decides to nominate fewer than three candidates.
The name of the person or persons so nominated shall be announced at a
public meeting of the Board and submitted to the Health Assembly.
SUSPENSION AND AMENDMENT OF RULES OF PROCEDURE
Rule 63
Subject to the provisions of the Constitution and having regard to any
relevant decisions of the Health Assembly, any of these Rules may be
suspended by the Board in accordance with Rule 49, provided that at least 48
hours’ notice of the proposal for such suspension has been given to the Chair
and communicated by her or him to the members 24 hours before the meeting
at which the proposal is to be submitted. If, however, on the advice of the
Chair the Board is unanimously in favour of such a proposal, it may adopt it
immediately and without notice. Any such suspension shall be limited to a
specific purpose and to a period required to achieve that purpose.
Rule 64
Subject to the provisions of the Constitution, the Board may amend or
supplement these Rules.
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BASIC DOCUMENTS
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Rule 65
The Board may at its discretion apply such Rules of Procedure of the
Health Assembly as it may deem appropriate to particular circumstances for
which provision does not exist in these Rules.
––––––––––
ANNEXES
– 227 –
Annex 1
MEMBERS OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
(at 31 May 2019)
The Members and Associate Members of the World Health Organization
are listed below, with the date on which each became a party to the
Constitution or the date of admission to associate membership.
Afghanistan ................................................................... 19 April 1948
Albania* ........................................................................ 26 May 1947
Algeria* ......................................................................... 8 November 1962
Andorra ......................................................................... 15 January 1997
Angola* ......................................................................... 15 May 1976
Antigua and Barbuda* ................................................... 12 March 1984
Argentina* ..................................................................... 22 October 1948
Armenia ......................................................................... 4 May 1992
Australia* ...................................................................... 2 February 1948
Austria* ......................................................................... 30 June 1947
Azerbaijan ..................................................................... 2 October 1992
Bahamas* ...................................................................... 1 April 1974
Bahrain* ........................................................................ 2 November 1971
Bangladesh .................................................................... 19 May 1972
Barbados*...................................................................... 25 April 1967
Belarus* ........................................................................ 7 April 1948
Belgium* ....................................................................... 25 June 1948
Belize ............................................................................ 23 August 1990
Benin ............................................................................. 20 September 1960
Bhutan ........................................................................... 8 March 1982
Bolivia (Plurinational State of) ...................................... 23 December 1949
Bosnia and Herzegovina* .............................................. 10 September 1992
Botswana* ..................................................................... 26 February 1975
Brazil* ........................................................................... 2 June 1948
Brunei Darussalam* ...................................................... 25 March 1985
Bulgaria* ....................................................................... 9 June 1948
Burkina Faso* ............................................................... 4 October 1960
Burundi ......................................................................... 22 October 1962
Cabo Verde ................................................................... 5 January 1976
Cambodia* .................................................................... 17 May 1950
Cameroon* .................................................................... 6 May 1960
Canada ........................................................................... 29 August 1946
Central African Republic*............................................. 20 September 1960
Chad .............................................................................. 1 January 1961
Chile* ............................................................................ 15 October 1948
China* ........................................................................... 22 July 1946
–––––––––
* Member States that have acceded to the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized
Agencies and its Annex VII.
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BASIC DOCUMENTS
Colombia ....................................................................... 14 May 1959
Comoros* ...................................................................... 9 December 1975
Congo ............................................................................ 26 October 1960
Cook Islands .................................................................. 9 May 1984
Costa Rica ..................................................................... 17 March 1949
Côte d’Ivoire* ............................................................... 28 October 1960
Croatia* ......................................................................... 11 June 1992
Cuba* ............................................................................ 9 May 1950
Cyprus* ......................................................................... 16 January 1961
Czechia* ........................................................................ 22 January 1993
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea ....................... 19 May 1973
Democratic Republic of the Congo* ............................. 24 February 1961
Denmark* ...................................................................... 19 April 1948
Djibouti ......................................................................... 10 March 1978
Dominica* ..................................................................... 13 August 1981
Dominican Republic ...................................................... 21 June 1948
Ecuador* ....................................................................... 1 March 1949
Egypt* ........................................................................... 16 December 1947
El Salvador* .................................................................. 22 June 1948
Equatorial Guinea .......................................................... 5 May 1980
Eritrea ............................................................................ 24 July 1993
Estonia* ......................................................................... 31 March 1993
Eswatini ......................................................................... 16 April 1973
Ethiopia ......................................................................... 11 April 1947
Fiji* ............................................................................... 1 January 1972
Finland* ........................................................................ 7 October 1947
France* .......................................................................... 16 June 1948
Gabon* .......................................................................... 21 November 1960
Gambia* ........................................................................ 26 April 1971
Georgia* ........................................................................ 26 May 1992
Germany* ...................................................................... 29 May 1951
Ghana* .......................................................................... 8 April 1957
Greece* ......................................................................... 12 March 1948
Grenada ......................................................................... 4 December 1974
Guatemala* ................................................................... 26 August 1949
Guinea* ......................................................................... 19 May 1959
Guinea-Bissau ............................................................... 29 July 1974
Guyana* ........................................................................ 27 September 1966
Haiti* ............................................................................. 12 August 1947
Honduras* ..................................................................... 8 April 1949
Hungary* ....................................................................... 17 June 1948
Iceland* ......................................................................... 17 June 1948
India* ............................................................................ 12 January 1948
Indonesia* ..................................................................... 23 May 1950
Iran (Islamic Republic of)* ........................................... 23 November 1946
Iraq* .............................................................................. 23 September 1947
–––––––––
* Member States that have acceded to the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized
Agencies and its Annex VII.
MEMBERSHIP OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
229
Ireland* ......................................................................... 20 October 1947
Israel .............................................................................. 21 June 1949
Italy* ............................................................................. 11 April 1947
Jamaica* ........................................................................ 21 March 1963
Japan* ........................................................................... 16 May 1951
Jordan* .......................................................................... 7 April 1947
Kazakhstan .................................................................... 19 August 1992
Kenya* .......................................................................... 27 January 1964
Kiribati .......................................................................... 26 July 1984
Kuwait* ......................................................................... 9 May 1960
Kyrgyzstan .................................................................... 29 April 1992
Lao People’s Democratic Republic* ............................. 17 May 1950
Latvia* .......................................................................... 4 December 1991
Lebanon ......................................................................... 19 January 1949
Lesotho* ........................................................................ 7 July 1967
Liberia ......................................................................... 14 March 1947
Libya* ........................................................................... 16 May 1952
Lithuania* ..................................................................... 25 November 1991
Luxembourg* ................................................................ 3 June 1949
Madagascar* ................................................................. 16 January 1961
Malawi* ........................................................................ 9 April 1965
Malaysia* ...................................................................... 24 April 1958
Maldives* ...................................................................... 5 November 1965
Mali* ............................................................................. 17 October 1960
Malta* ........................................................................... 1 February 1965
Marshall Islands ............................................................ 5 June 1991
Mauritania ..................................................................... 7 March 1961
Mauritius* ..................................................................... 9 December 1968
Mexico .......................................................................... 7 April 1948
Micronesia (Federated States of) ................................. 14 August 1991
Monaco ......................................................................... 8 July 1948
Mongolia* ..................................................................... 18 April 1962
Montenegro* ................................................................. 29 August 2006
Morocco* ...................................................................... 14 May 1956
Mozambique* ................................................................ 11 September 1975
Myanmar ....................................................................... 1 July 1948
Namibia ......................................................................... 23 April 1990
Nauru ............................................................................. 9 May 1994
Nepal* ........................................................................... 2 September 1953
Netherlands* ................................................................. 25 April 1947
New Zealand* ............................................................... 10 December 1946
Nicaragua* .................................................................... 24 April 1950
Niger* ........................................................................... 5 October 1960
Nigeria* ......................................................................... 25 November 1960
Niue ............................................................................... 4 May 1994
North Macedonia* ......................................................... 22 April 1993
–––––––––
* Member States that have acceded to the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized
Agencies and its Annex VII.
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BASIC DOCUMENTS
Norway* ........................................................................ 18 August 1947
Oman ............................................................................. 28 May 1971
Pakistan* ....................................................................... 23 June 1948
Palau .............................................................................. 9 March 1995
Panama .......................................................................... 20 February 1951
Papua New Guinea ........................................................ 29 April 1976
Paraguay* ...................................................................... 4 January 1949
Peru ............................................................................... 11 November 1949
Philippines* ................................................................... 9 July 1948
Poland* ......................................................................... 6 May 1948
Portugal* ....................................................................... 13 February 1948
Qatar* ............................................................................ 11 May 1972
Republic of Korea* ....................................................... 17 August 1949
Republic of Moldova* ................................................... 4 May 1992
Romania* ...................................................................... 8 June 1948
Russian Federation* ...................................................... 24 March 1948
Rwanda*........................................................................ 7 November 1962
Saint Kitts and Nevis ..................................................... 3 December 1984
Saint Lucia* .................................................................. 11 November 1980
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ................................. 2 September 1983
Samoa* .......................................................................... 16 May 1962
San Marino* .................................................................. 12 May 1980
Sao Tome and Principe ................................................. 23 March 1976
Saudi Arabia .................................................................. 26 May 1947
Senegal* ........................................................................ 31 October 1960
Serbia* .......................................................................... 28 November 2000
Seychelles* .................................................................... 11 September 1979
Sierra Leone* ................................................................ 20 October 1961
Singapore* .................................................................... 25 February 1966
Slovakia* ....................................................................... 4 February 1993
Slovenia* ....................................................................... 7 May 1992
Solomon Islands ............................................................ 4 April 1983
Somalia ......................................................................... 26 January 1961
South Africa* ................................................................ 7 August 1947
South Sudan .................................................................. 27 September 2011
Spain* ........................................................................... 28 May 1951
Sri Lanka ....................................................................... 7 July 1948
Sudan............................................................................. 14 May 1956
Suriname ....................................................................... 25 March 1976
Sweden* ........................................................................ 28 August 1947
Switzerland* .................................................................. 26 March 1947
Syrian Arab Republic .................................................... 18 December 1946
Tajikistan ....................................................................... 4 May 1992
Thailand* ...................................................................... 26 September 1947
Timor-Leste ................................................................... 27 September 2002
Togo* ............................................................................ 13 May 1960
–––––––––
* Member States that have acceded to the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized
Agencies and its Annex VII.
MEMBERSHIP OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
231
Tonga* .......................................................................... 14 August 1975
Trinidad and Tobago* ................................................... 3 January 1963
Tunisia* ......................................................................... 14 May 1956
Turkey ........................................................................... 2 January 1948
Turkmenistan ................................................................ 2 July 1992
Tuvalu ........................................................................... 7 May 1993
Uganda* ........................................................................ 7 March 1963
Ukraine* ........................................................................ 3 April 1948
United Arab Emirates* .................................................. 30 March 1972
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland* 22 July 1946
United Republic of Tanzania* ....................................... 15 March 1962
United States of America .............................................. 21 June 1948
Uruguay* ....................................................................... 22 April 1949
Uzbekistan* ................................................................... 22 May 1992
Vanuatu* ....................................................................... 7 March 1983
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) ............................ 7 July 1948
Viet Nam ....................................................................... 17 May 1950
Yemen ........................................................................... 20 November 1953
Zambia* ........................................................................ 2 February 1965
Zimbabwe* .................................................................... 16 May 1980
Associate Members
Puerto Rico .................................................................... 7 May 1992
Tokelau ......................................................................... 8 May 1991
____________
–––––––––
* Member States that have acceded to the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized
Agencies and its Annex VII.
– 233 –
Annex 2
STATUTE OF THE INTERNATIONAL AGENCY
FOR RESEARCH ON CANCER
1
Article I – Objective
The objective of the International Agency for Research on Cancer shall
be to promote international collaboration in cancer research. The Agency
shall serve as a means through which Participating States and the World
Health Organization, in liaison with the International Union against Cancer
and other interested international organizations, may cooperate in the
stimulation and support of all phases of research related to the problem of
cancer.
Article II – Functions
In order to achieve its objectives, the Agency shall have the following
functions:
1. The Agency shall make provision for planning, promotion and developing
research in all phases of the causation, treatment and prevention of cancer.
2. The Agency shall carry out a programme of permanent activities. These
activities shall include:
(a) the collection and dissemination of information on epidemiology of
cancer, on cancer research and on the causation and prevention of cancer
throughout the world;
(b) the consideration of proposals and preparation of plans for projects
in, or in support of, cancer research; such projects should be designed to
make the best possible use of any scientific and financial resources and
special opportunities for studies of the natural history of cancer which
may arise;
(c) the education and training of personnel for cancer research.
3. The Agency may arrange for the carrying out of special projects; however,
such special projects shall be initiated only upon the specific approval of the
Governing Council, based upon the recommendation of the Scientific
Council.
_________
1
Approved by the Eighteenth World Health Assembly on 20 May 1965 (resolution WHA18.44).
Pursuant to its Articles III and XI, the Statute entered into force on 15 September 1965. Amendments to the
Statute adopted by the Governing Council at its seventh, ninth, twenty-seventh, thirty-first, fiftieth and
fifty-third sessions in 1969, 1971, 1986, 1990, 2008 and 2011 respectively were accepted by the Twenty-third,
Twenty-fifth, Thirty-ninth, Forty-third, Sixty-first and Sixty-fourth World Health Assemblies (resolutions
WHA23.23, WHA25.25, WHA39.13, WHA43.23, WHA61.13 and WHA64.26).
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BASIC DOCUMENTS
4. Such special projects may include:
(a) activities complementary to the permanent programme;
(b) the demonstration of pilot cancer prevention activities;
(c) the encouragement of, and the giving of assistance to, research at the
national level, if necessary by the direct establishment of research
organizations.
5. In carrying out its programme of permanent services or any special
projects the Agency may collaborate with any other entity.
Article III – Participating States
Any Member of the World Health Organization may, subject to the
provisions of Article XII, participate actively in the Agency by undertaking,
in a notification to the Director-General of the World Health Organization, to
observe and apply the provisions of this Statute. In this Statute, Members
which have made such a notification are termed “Participating States”.
Article IV – Structure
The Agency shall comprise:
(a) the Governing Council;
(b) the Scientific Council;
(c) the Secretariat.
Article V – The Governing Council
1. The Governing Council shall be composed of one representative of each
Participating State and the Director-General of the World Health
Organization, who may be accompanied by alternates or advisers.
2. Each member of the Governing Council shall have one vote.
3. The Governing Council shall:
(a) adopt the budget;
(b) adopt financial regulations;
(c) control expenditure;
(d) decide on the size of the Secretariat;
(e) elect its officers;
INTERNATIONAL AGENCY FOR RESEARCH ON CANCER: STATUTE
235
(f) adopt its own rules of procedure.
4. The Governing Council, after considering the recommendations of the
Scientific Council, shall:
(a) adopt the programme of permanent activities;
(b) approve any special project;
(c) decide upon any supplementary programme.
5. Decisions of the Governing Council under subparagraphs (a) and (b) of
paragraph 3 of this Article shall be made by a two-thirds majority of its
members who are representatives of Participating States.
6. Decisions of the Governing Council shall be taken by a simple majority
of members present and voting, except as otherwise provided in this Statute.
A majority of members shall constitute a quorum.
7. The Governing Council shall meet in ordinary session at least once in
each year. It may also meet in extraordinary session at the request of one-third
of its members.
8. The Governing Council may appoint sub-committees and working groups.
Article VI – The Scientific Council
1. The Scientific Council shall be composed of highly qualified scientists,
selected on the basis of their technical competence in cancer research and
allied fields. Members of the Scientific Council are appointed as experts and
not as representatives of Participating States.
2. Each Participating State may nominate up to two experts for membership
in the Scientific Council and, if a Participating State makes such a nomination,
the Governing Council shall appoint one of them.
3. In identifying experts to be considered for appointment to the Scientific
Council, Participating States shall take into account advice to be provided by
the Chairperson of the Scientific Council and Director of the Agency
concerning the expertise required on the Scientific Council at the time of
those appointments.
4. Members of the Scientific Council shall serve for a term of four years.
Should a member not complete a term, a new appointment shall be made for
the remainder of the term to which the member would have been entitled, in
accordance with paragraph 5.
5. When a vacancy arises on the Scientific Council, the Participating State
that nominated the departing member may nominate up to two experts to
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replace that member in accordance with paragraphs 2 and 3. Any member
leaving the Scientific Council, other than a member appointed for a reduced
term, may be reappointed only after at least one year has elapsed.
6. The Scientific Council shall be responsible for:
(a) adopting its own rules of procedure;
(b) the periodical evaluation of the activities of the Agency;
(c) recommending programmes of permanent activities and preparing
special projects for submission to the Governing Council;
(d) the periodical evaluation of special projects sponsored by the Agency;
(e) reporting to the Governing Council, for consideration at the time that
body considers the programme and budget, upon the matters dealt with in
subparagraphs (b), (c) and (d) above.
Article VII – Secretariat
1. Subject to the general authority of the Director-General of the World
Health Organization, the Secretariat shall be the administrative and technical
organ of the Agency. It shall in addition carry out the decisions of the
Governing Council and the Scientific Council.
2. The Secretariat shall consist of the Director of the Agency and such
technical and administrative staff as may be required.
3. The Director of the Agency shall be selected by the Governing Council.
The appointment shall be effected by the Director-General of the World
Health Organization on such terms as the Governing Council may determine.
4. The staff of the Agency shall be appointed in a manner to be determined
by agreement between the Director-General of the World Health
Organization and the Director of the Agency.
5. The Director of the Agency shall be the chief executive officer of the
Agency. He shall be responsible for:
(a) preparing the future programme and the budget estimates;
(b) supervising the execution of the programme and the scientific
activities;
(c) directing administrative and financial matters.
6. The Director of the Agency shall submit a report on the progress of the
Agency and the budget estimates for the next financial year to each
Participating State and to the Director-General of the World Health
INTERNATIONAL AGENCY FOR RESEARCH ON CANCER: STATUTE
237
Organization, which shall be distributed to reach them at least thirty days
before the regular annual meeting of the Governing Council.
Article VIII – Finance
1. The administrative services and permanent activities of the Agency shall
be financed by annual contributions by each Participating State.
2. These annual contributions shall be due on 1 January of each year and
must be paid not later than 31 December of that year.
3. The level or levels of annual contributions shall be determined by the
Governing Council.
4. Any decision to change the level or levels of annual contributions shall
require a two-thirds majority of the Members of the Governing Council who
are representatives of Participating States.
5. A Participating State which is in arrears in the payment of its annual
contribution shall have no vote in the Governing Council if the amount of its
arrears equals or exceeds the amount of contributions due from it for the
preceding financial year.
6. The Governing Council may establish a working capital fund and decide
its amount.
7. The Governing Council shall be empowered to accept grants or special
contributions from any individual, body or government.
The special projects of the Agency shall be financed from such grants or
special contributions.
8. The funds and assets of the Agency shall be accounted for separately from
the funds and assets of the World Health Organization and administered in
accordance with the financial regulations adopted by the Governing Council.
Article IX – Headquarters
The site of the headquarters of the Agency shall be determined by the
Governing Council.
Article X – Amendments
Except as provided in Article VIII, 4, amendments to this Statute shall
come into force when adopted by the Governing Council by a two-thirds
majority of its members who are representatives of Participating States and
accepted by the World Health Assembly.
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Article XI – Entry into force
The provisions of this Statute shall enter into force when five of the States
which took the initiative in proposing the International Agency for Research
on Cancer have given the undertaking referred to in Article III to observe and
apply the provisions of the present Statute.
Article XII – New Participating States
After the entry into force of this Statute, any State Member of the World
Health Organization may be admitted as a Participating State, provided that:
(a) the Governing Council, by a two-thirds majority of its members who
are representatives of Participating States, considers that the State is able
to contribute effectively to the scientific and technical work of the Agency;
(b) and thereafter, the State gives the undertaking referred to in Article III.
Article XIII – Withdrawal from Participation
A Participating State may withdraw from participation in the operation of
the Agency by notifying the Director-General of the World Health
Organization of its intention to withdraw. Such a notification shall take effect
six months after its receipt by the Director-General of the World Health
Organization.
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