WHO board agrees to engage with reproductive rights NGO after split vote
After months of delay, World Health Organization board members finally voted to admit a reproductive rights NGO as a nonstate actor that can participate in WHO sessions.
Several member states were against giving the Center for Reproductive Rights the privilege of being admitted in “official relations” with WHO — meaning it can participate in WHO meetings, make statements when permitted, and collaborate on programs — because of its work, which includes protecting and advancing abortion rights globally. But on Tuesday, the organization was finally admitted after a 17-13 vote in their favor.
Opposing countries, particularly those representing the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions, argued that the NGO’s work does not align with their national laws and religious and cultural contexts and tried to postpone the decision yet again.
About the author
Jenny Lei Ravelo@JennyLeiRavelo
Jenny Lei Ravelo is a Devex Senior Reporter based in Manila. She covers global health, with a particular focus on the World Health Organization, and other development and humanitarian aid trends in Asia Pacific. Prior to Devex, she wrote for ABS-CBN, one of the largest broadcasting networks in the Philippines, and was a copy editor for various international scientific journals. She received her journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas.
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