Participation Is A Right And DUTY To Humanity. IOJ Sent Our "Expression of Interest For Membership" To Help Guide The WHO Civil Society Commission Steering Committee

We REALLY want to participate to ensure normal good people are in the new WHO CSO Commission to PROTECT HUMANITY FROM WHO DECIDING ALONE.

IOJ wrote the newly forming (Civil Society Organization) CSO Commission for the WHO today. We were just doing a routine following up on the application submitted on March 13, 2023, to take part in the reform of the World Health Organization. The WHO definitely needs reforming and we thought we can help make a positive change with a focus on law and ethics.

Last month we heard about the new CSO commission being formed at the last minute and asked if they would extend the deadline, which the WHO kindly did!

Here’s our request for today :

It took quite a few CSO’s to troll Tedros whom kept promising that the WHO would start the CSO Commission. A few years later, here we are with the worlds first CSO integration to participate and oversee WHO activities. We really hope that it’s not rigged and that true reforms are being made to include more oversight from the people and civil society. Time will tell, but we are proud of the CSO’s that work so hard to make this happen, demanding an audience with the secretariat and insisting on this independent oversight and inclusive program.

The following is the criteria to apply:

WHO Civil Society Commission Steering Committee - expression of interest for membership

The WHO Civil Society Commission is a WHO network of civil society organizations that comprises of a Steering Committee, a General Meeting and working groups. 

Key responsibilities of the Steering Committee are:

• Provide overall strategic direction and main deliverables for the work of the WHO Civil Society Commission, including supporting the development of the overall WHO Civil Society Commission workplans and strategies, in consultation with the Secretariat; 

• Jointly coordinate with the Secretariat the General meeting of the WHO Civil Society Commission, including development of relevant documentation and logistical support; 

• Provide input to support the development of an annual a report on the WHO Civil Society Commission activities by the Secretariat to be presented at the Commission’s annual meeting; 

• Advise WHO on applications to the WHO Civil Society Commission;

• Support the Secretariat in the coordination of the establishment and in the oversight of working groups, including their Terms of Reference and workplans, and oversee all working group activities; and

• Periodically review Commission  participants compliance with the participation  criteria.

The original invitation:

Dear civil society representatives,

Welcome to apply to be a member of the Steering Committee of the WHO Civil Sociey Commission. 

Please recall that only those civil society organizations that are WHO Civil Society Commission participants may put forward a candidate representing their organization for a Steering Commitee membership. 

The Committee will comprise of 10-15 members representing civil society organizations, that are free from private or commercial interests, and who are selected and appointed by the Secretariat for an initial term of two (2) years, with the possibility of renewal once. The Secretariat will aim to replace a maximum of half of the Steering Committee members every two years.

The Steering Committee members are expected to meet the following criteria:

• be familiar  with the WHO governance and operational modalities;

• be experienced in civil society activities in advancing health at global, regional, national or local levels;

• not present a potential or real conflict of interest.

Each member of the Steering committee should 

• Adhere to the Terms of Reference of the Steering Committee;  

• Actively participate in and support the WHO Civil Society Commission, its purpose, goals, objectives, guiding principles, work and activities, through the membership in the Steering Committee; 

• Attend and actively participate at the Steering Committee meetings and WHO Civil Society Commission’s  General and ad hoc meetings. 

If selected by WHO, proposed members will be sent an invitation letter and a Memorandum of Agreement. Appointment as a member of the Steering Committee will be subject to the proposed member returning to WHO the countersigned copy of the agreement.

WHO reserves the right to accept or reject any expression of interest, to annul the open call process and reject all expressions of interest at any time without incurring any liability to the affected applicant or applicants and without any obligation to inform the affected applicant or applicants of the grounds for WHO's action. WHO may also decide, at any time, not to proceed with the establishment of the Steering Committee, disband an existing Comittee or modify the work of the Committee.

WHO shall not in any way be obliged to reveal, or discuss with any applicant, how an expression of interest was assessed, or to provide any other information relating to the evaluation/selection process or to state the reasons for not choosing a member.

WHO may publish the names and a short biography of the Steering Committee members on the WHO internet.

Steering Committee members will not be remunerated for their services in relation to the Committee or otherwise. Travel and accommodation expenses of the Committee members to participate in the Committee meetings or any other meetings where the Committee members are invited in their capacity as members of the Steering Committee will be covered by WHO in accordance with its applicable policies, rules and procedures.

---

Wish us luck! IOJ hopes to make a positive influence on international ethics and public health/science if selected. They probably will only choose more cheer leaders of the WHO, but you never know they “Say” they are making reform and finally including CSO’s.

Like we always say, participation is a right and a duty… Use it or lose it!