WHO and Global Citizen sign partnership to promote health, fight inequalities and address health risks of climate change

The World Health Organization and international advocacy organization Global Citizen today signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on joint global advocacy initiatives aimed at promoting and protecting health for all people over the next three years.

The main goals of the collaboration will be to support global efforts to overcome the inequalities faced by millions of people in accessing health services and achieving the highest levels of physical and mental health, and to address the health-related challenges posed by climate change.

WHO, the United Nations specialized agency for health, and Global Citizen, an international advocacy organization working to end extreme poverty, signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding in Paris at the ‘Power Our Planet: Live in Paris’ event, held during the Summit for a New Global financing pact.

WHO and Global Citizen have joined forces in multiple activities in the past, including an international special, One world: together at home, held at the beginning of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic to support healthcare workers. The event raised almost 128 million dollars in the commitments of corporate partners and philanthropists and the supported efforts of the Solidarity Fund for the Response to COVID-19 for WHO, launched by the UN Foundation, and regional foundations.

“WHO has long valued the collaboration it enjoys with Global Citizen in raising global awareness and encouraging action to improve the health of people around the world,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “By joining forces through this Memorandum of Understanding, WHO and Global Citizen will increase global and grassroots health advocacy and engage more and more citizens, with a particular focus on reaching the world’s youth, to advance the mission of health for all.”

“We are pleased to continue our fruitful collaboration with WHO and Dr. Tedros,” said Michael Sheldrick, Global Citizen co-founder and chief policy, advocacy and government relations officer. “The impact of climate change on the health of the world’s most marginalized populations is a devastating reality that requires urgent and concerted action, and we look forward to redouble our efforts together.”

Under the Memorandum of Understanding, Global Citizen and WHO agreed to undertake global advocacy initiatives to advance priorities and goals WHO’s Thirteenth General Program of Work (GPW13) and health goals Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)and other activities focused on health equity, addressing the deep interconnections between climate change and health, and related topics.

Through impactful advocacy initiatives, the two organizations will raise awareness of the importance of evidence-based health advice to improve public health; identify areas where action is needed to improve human health, including advancing health equity, mitigating the health impacts of climate change, increasing immunization and promoting the health of women and girls; and promote the importance of and how to increase the necessary support for local health providers to provide basic care and services at country level.

Note to editors

About the World Health Organization
Committed to the well-being of all people and guided by science, the World Health Organization leads and supports global efforts to give everyone, everywhere, an equal opportunity to live a safe and healthy life. We are the UN health agency that connects nations, partners and people on the front lines in more than 150 locations – leading the world’s response to health emergencies, preventing disease, addressing the root causes of health problems and expanding access to medicines and healthcare. Our mission is to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. www.who.int.

About Global Citizen
Global Citizen is the world’s leading international advocacy organization with a mission to end extreme poverty NOW. Driven by a worldwide community of everyday activists raising their voices and taking action, the movement is fueled by campaigns and events that bring together leaders in music, entertainment, public policy, media, philanthropy and the corporate sector. Over the past 10 years, $43.6 billion in commitments posted on Global Citizen platforms have been distributed, impacting nearly 1.3 billion lives. Founded in Australia in 2008, the Global Citizen team operates from New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Berlin, Melbourne, Toronto, Johannesburg, Lagos and beyond. Join the movement at globalcitizen.orgdownload Global Citizen appand follow Global Citizen at Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok and Twitter.