[Ip-health] WHO IGWG: Fast track accreditation for NGOs - clarification message from WHO

[Daumerie, Denis Paul Jacques]

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
--
[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
WHO welcomes the interest being expressed in the abovementioned subject,
however, some of the information being circulated is incorrect. For
those interested, herewith information validated by WHO:

In its decision EB120(3), the WHO Executive Board agreed to adopt
certain measures for facilitating the participation of NGOs in the work
of the Intergovernmental Working Group on Public Health, Innovation and
Intellectual Property. The decision is below.


Among the conditions set out in decision EB120(3)is that nongovernmental
organizations must be in working relations with WHO.  Such relations are
characterized, inter alia, by an exchange of letters agreeing to joint
activities over a fixed time period.  Each party identifies focal points
for such relations.  Normally such letters are also signed by a
representative of the Government Agencies, Civil Society and Private
Sector Relations (GPR) department in WHO that, inter alia, administers
the implementation of the Principles governing relations between WHO and
NGOs, including the application process. The Principles are available at
http://www.who.int/civilsociety/relations/principles/en/index.html.


International NGOs that have an agreed joint work plan with WHO and
consider they would meet the criteria for admission into official
relations set out in the abovementioned Principles may wish to request
an assessment of their relations.  Requests should contain:

a copy of the current mutually agreed joint work plan noting the name(s)
of the focal points both in the NGO and WHO
a copy of the NGO's constitution, or equivalent document
a copy of the NGO's membership lists or, if not a membership
organization, a list of the governing body members with their names and
affiliations
a copy of the NGO's annual reports for the past three years and
financial accounts

The request and all related documentation, except the annual reports,
should be in English or French.  The request, addressed to The
Coordinator, GPR, may either be sent electronically to
civilsociety@who.int or by mail to the following address:  WHO/GPR, 20
Ave Appia, CH-1211, Geneva, 27. It will not be possible to process
requests received after 31 August 2007.


EB120(3) Measures to be taken for facilitating the participation of
nongovernmental organizations in the work of the Intergovernmental
Working Group on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property

	The Executive Board, having considered the recommendation of the
Intergovernmental Working Group on Public Health, Innovation and
Intellectual Property (at
http://www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB120/B120_35_Add1-en.pdf) and the
report of the Standing Committee on Nongovernmental Organizations (at
http://www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB120/B120_41-en.pdf), authorized
the Chairman of the Executive Board, acting jointly with the Chairman of
the Standing Committee, to admit provisionally nongovernmental
organizations into official relations with WHO.  The facility
established by the present decision will apply to nongovernmental
organizations that request official relations solely, or also, for the
purpose of participating in the work of the IGWG, subject to the
following conditions and requirements:

(1)	nongovernmental organizations must be in working relations with
WHO at the time of submission of their application, so that
approximately two years of working relations will have elapsed by the
time the Executive Board formally reviews their applications under point
(3) below, and must otherwise meet the criteria established in section 3
of the Principles Governing Relations between the World Health
Organization and Nongovernmental Organizations
(http://www.who.int/civilsociety/relations/principles/en/index.html);

(2)	the mandates of the nongovernmental organizations concerned must
be relevant to the work of the Intergovernmental Working Group;

(3)	the Executive Board will review nongovernmental organizations in
provisional official relations at its January session subsequent to
their admission into provisional official relations, for the purpose of
confirming or terminating such relations in accordance with normal
procedures.

This decision will remain applicable, unless terminated or revised by
the Board, until the completion of the work of the  Intergovernmental
Working Group on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property.