Call for Watchers: Apply to join the WHA77 Watch team this May
PHM is preparing to watch the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA77) of the World Health Organisation. The Watch will last from the week before, so 19 May to 1 June. During the first week there will be a preparatory workshop, and during the second week Watchers will following the WHA proceedings. The WHA Watch is in-person only. English will be the working language of the Watch.
The items on the WHA77 agenda will likely include Public Health Emergencies: preparedness and response, the Global Health and Peace Initiative, Social Determinants of Health, UHC, Prevention and Control of Non Communicable Diseases, Climate Change and Health, Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights, and WHO’s sustainable financing, including the implementation of its first ever use of Investment Round to finance its base budget.
This WHA77 is particularly important as the expected revisions to the International Health Regulations (2005) and the Pandemic Accord text are to be tabled.
Can you attend the WHO-Watch for the WHA77 Meeting?
Through Medicus Mundi International, PHM activists are able to attend the meeting, work on PHM’s commentaries, collaborate with civil society colleagues, advocate our position to the WHO and country delegates, and deliver statements from the floor to the governing body meeting.
We are looking for young PHM activists to join as Watchers in Geneva. If you are keen on developing your knowledge on issues discussed at the meeting, and to be involved in strengthening these issues in your country or region after the meeting, please let us know.
As the work is intense, being able to work under pressure while still providing support to your fellow Watchers is what we are looking for. We expect the Watchers to prioritize the watching work and be available for the full period of the meetings, including a preparatory in-person workshop the week before the WHA77. This means arriving on Sunday 19th May 2024 and departing on 1st June 2024.
To participate in the WHA77 watch please fill out the application form.
The deadline to fill the form is 20 March 2024.
Note a small number of watchers (1 or 2) will be chosen for representing each region due to the team being small. We seek, as far as possible, to recruit a team reflective of the regional, racial, linguistic, and gender diversity of our movement.
Meetings and sessions will be held in English so participants must be fluent English speakers. Fluency in languages are advantageous. The official languages of PHM are English, French Arabic and Spanish and therefore some materials might be translated into these languages during and/or after the Watch.
To apply, you should have a valid passport and access to a laptop you can use during the Watch.
For sponsored participants, PHM will cover the costs related to flight / train / bus tickets, local transport and accommodation in Geneva. A small per diem will be provided to cover the food costs.
In case you have any query, please contact: Lauren Paremoer ([email protected]) OR Anneleen De Keukelaere ([email protected])