Dr Fiona Robards
As part of my sabbatical in Geneva, I attended the 156th session of the WHO Executive Board from 3 to 11 February 2025. The WHO Executive Board is a high-level body that implements decisions about WHO policies, planning, and funding, and advises the World Health Assembly.
It was a fascinating experience that was inspiring, worrying and, at times, deeply disturbing.
This year, the event was primarily an opportunity for member states to reaffirm their commitment to the WHO and acknowledge the WHO’s leadership role as a guardian and defender of the most vulnerable.
A hot topic was the large impact of the United States’ decision to withdraw support for the WHO, with impacts on both funding and response coordination. Essential WHO work will need to be cut back by as much as 25%.
However, member states suggested it may be a catalyst for engaging a broader funding base. There was much discussion on the need for clear priorities and transparency to guide funding cuts. Interestingly, the US was in attendance – but did not speak.
‘Multilateralism’ (collaboration between countries towards a common goal) was the primary theme and was mentioned repeatedly.
Other hot topics included the destruction of healthcare and the impact on mental health due to conflict in Ukraine and Gaza; climate change; strengthening primary healthcare to achieve universal health coverage; equitable distribution of the global health workforce; social and commercial determinants of health (including protection from health-harming industries); and mis- and disinformation.
A few member states also lobbied the WHO not to serve alcohol at their events (a standing policy at the PHAA), which garnered a round of applause.
I was representing the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) – one of the 219 Non-State Actors in an official relationship with the WHO.
Each organisation is allowed four registrations. As the WFPHA Women, Children and Youth Workgroup co-chair, I was particularly interested in item 14 on the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health 2016-2030.
Member states acknowledged that we are not on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relating to women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health. Action is needed to accelerate efforts towards achieving the SDGs for these groups.
Some of the most common issues raised included concerns about maternal mortality and adolescent health, including teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.
Sexual and reproductive health was considered key to achieving universal health coverage and the right to health, especially in the current context where women’s rights are being eroded around the globe. The need to promote breastfeeding and address the harmful digital marketing of breastfeeding substitutes was also a strong theme.
I was impressed by the strong public health focus of the meeting, which permeated almost all the discussions.
The reports varied between expressing concern that we are not on track to achieve the SDGs, highlighting country-level, regional, or global achievements, and engaging in other antics, which were both entertaining and concerning (for example, off-topic comments where the Chair needed to intervene).
While the WHO Executive Board meetings are generally formal and focused on serious health policy discussions, there can be moments of tension, debate, and even some unexpected events.
These dynamics can make the meetings quite lively and occasionally unpredictable, but they also highlight the importance of the decisions being made and the diverse perspectives involved.
It was in some ways reassuring to see that there is so much agreement between countries.
Of note, Australia’s position on Gaza was echoed by China and Russia. All three countries (and many others) called for support of Palestinians to remain in Gaza and called out the injustice against the Palestinians, who have a legal right to have their own state. Moments like these have stayed with me.
Palestine spoke eloquently about their plight:
“The people in the Gaza Strip enclave were stripped of their basic human rights and access to health and most importantly, were stripped of hope of a better life and future.
It’s a shame that we need a UN vote to say killing civilians is wrong.
It’s a shame that we need to vote to say that killing health workers is wrong.
It is a shame that we need a vote to say bombing hospitals and health facilities are wrong.
It’s a shame that we need a vote to say starving the whole population is wrong.”
Most member states supported the two-state Palestinian solution, but a few objected (Israel, Argentina and Hungary), claiming the report presented to the meeting was biased.
Member and non-member states were in the large main room. I was based with the non-state actors who were tightly packed in a small but beautiful ‘overflow room’ with seating for around 50 people, leaving others to sit on the windowsill.
Over the course of the week, the coughs and sniffles increased exponentially. I took to wearing a mask, but I was the only one.
Focusing for three-hour periods across two or three sessions for eight days is challenging, particularly with the repetition of themes. The WHO has its own language, filled with jargon and acronyms. Contributors use third-person perspectives: “Australia believes…”
Many of the statements featured a kind of word salad that needed decoding (world salad with Russian dressing is a specialty).
Technical facilities varied. On the one hand, having an earpiece that can translate the various speakers into your choice of one of seven languages was impressive.
On the other hand, I was surprised how many things don’t seem to work in the land of the Swiss watch. The audio channels and the lighting fluctuated in a bizarre fashion, leading to ongoing sighs.
I was very happy with the healthy, delicious and affordable cafeteria – probably the best cafeteria I’ve ever visited. The expansive WHO meeting space was beautifully crafted using a mix of wood, marble and glass.
Photographs conveyed messages of diversity and equity, promoting the WHO motto: ‘We champion health and a better future for all’.
You can watch all the WHO Executive Board and World Health Assembly meetings online, either live or recorded, so you don’t need to travel to Geneva.
However, the atmosphere of being at the live session (albeit in an overflow room) and the extensive networking opportunities with smart, influential people from around the globe made it a fascinating and worthwhile experience.
Dr Fiona Robards is a Senior Lecturer and Senior Research Fellow at the University of Sydney, and co-chair of the World Federation of Public Health Associations’ Women, Children and Youth Heath Workgroup.
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