World Health Organization

The World Health Organization (WHO; French: Organisation mondiale de la santé) is a

specialized agency of the United Nations that is concerned with international public health. It
was established on 7 April 1948 headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The WHO is a member
of the United Nations Development Group. Its predecessor, the Health Organization, was an
agency of the League of Nations.

The constitution of the World Health Organization had been signed by 61 countries on 7 April
1948, with the first meeting of the World Health Assembly finishing on 24 July 1948. It
incorporated the Office International d'Hygiène Publique and the League of Nations Health
Organization. Since its creation, it has played a leading role in the eradication of smallpox. Its
current priorities include communicable diseases, in particular HIV/AIDS, Ebola, malaria and
tuberculosis; the mitigation of the effects of non-communicable diseases; sexual and
reproductive health, development, and ageing; nutrition, food security and healthy eating;
occupational health; substance abuse; and driving the development of reporting, publications,
and networking.

The WHO is responsible for the World Health Report, the worldwide World Health Survey, and
World Health Day. The Director-General of WHO is Tedros Adhanom who started his five-year
term on 1 July 2017.[1]

Constitution of WHO: principles

Constitution of the World Health Organization: Principles

 Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity.
 The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental
rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief,
economic or social condition.
 The health of all peoples is fundamental to the attainment of peace and security and is
dependent on the fullest co-operation of individuals and States.
 The achievement of any State in the promotion and protection of health is of value to all.
 Unequal development in different countries in the promotion of health and control of
diseases, especially communicable disease, is a common danger.
 Healthy development of the child is of basic importance; the ability to live harmoniously
in a changing total environment is essential to such development.
 The extension to all peoples of the benefits of medical, psychological and related
knowledge is essential to the fullest attainment of health.
 Informed opinion and active co-operation on the part of the public are of the utmost
importance in the improvement of the health of the people.
 Governments have a responsibility for the health of their peoples which can be fulfilled
only by the provision of adequate health and social measures.
 UNESCO
 The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO;[2]
French: Organisation des Nations unies pour l'éducation, la science et la culture) is a
specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) based in Paris. Its declared purpose is to
contribute to peace and security by promoting international collaboration through
educational, scientific, and cultural reforms in order to increase universal respect for
justice, the rule of law, and human rights along with fundamental freedom proclaimed in
the United Nations Charter.[1] It is the successor of the League of Nations' International
Committee on Intellectual Cooperation.
 UNESCO has 195 member states[3] and ten associate members.[4][5] Most of its field
offices are "cluster" offices covering three or more countries; national and regional
offices also exist.
 UNESCO pursues its objectives through five major programs: education, natural
sciences, social/human sciences, culture and communication/information. Projects
sponsored by UNESCO include literacy, technical, and teacher-training programs,
international science programs, the promotion of independent media and freedom of the
press, regional and cultural history projects, the promotion of cultural diversity,
translations of world literature, international cooperation agreements to secure the world's
cultural and natural heritage (World Heritage Sites) and to preserve human rights, and
attempts to bridge the worldwide digital divide. It is also a member of the United Nations
Development Group.[6]
 UNESCO's aim is "to contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty,
sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences,
culture, communication and information".[7] Other priorities of the organization include
attaining quality Education For All and lifelong learning, addressing emerging social and
ethical challenges, fostering cultural diversity, a culture of peace and building inclusive
knowledge societies through information and communication.[8]
 The broad goals and objectives of the international community—as set out in the
internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs)—underpin all UNESCO strategies and activities.