To apply for accreditation, the non-State actor (the “entity”) should meet the following cumulative criteria:

1. Be a regional nongovernmental organization or a regional business association or a regional philanthropic foundation, it being understood that the entity shall be of a regional character if it has a presence and operates in at least three countries or areas within the WHO Western Pacific Region. The applicant entity, if a membership organization, should have members from the WHO Western Pacific Region.
2. The aims, activities and purposes of the applicant entity shall be consistent with the WHO Constitution and in conformity with the policies of the Organization and should contribute significantly to the advancement of public health.
3. The entity should respect the intergovernmental nature of WHO and the decision-making authority of Member States as set out in the WHO Constitution.
4. The applicant entity shall have had sustained and systematic technical engagement with the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific for at least two years.
5. The parent entity of the applicant entity, if any, shall not be in official relations with WHO.
6. The applicant entity shall have an established structure, a founding document and accountability mechanisms.
7. The applicant non-State actor is required to provide documents and information on their entity in line with paragraph 39 of FENSA.
8. The applicant entity, if a membership organization, shall have the authority to speak for its members and have a representative structure.

The application shall consist of:

1. Information and documents about the entity in line with paragraph 39 of FENSA, including name, objectives (mission statement), membership, founding document (constitution, statute or by-laws), formal registration, governance structure, nominal list of the members of its decision-making body (for example, Board, Council, Assembly), assets, annual income and funding sources (donors, partners and sponsors), relevant affiliations (parent entity, subsidiaries or branches) and webpage. Non-State actors will also be required to complete and sign the tobacco and arms disclosure statement without alteration.
2. A summary documenting past engagements with WHO in the Western Pacific.
3. Names and contact details of the entity’s representatives, with the entity’s acknowledgement of understanding and agreement that the provided information will be made public, as appropriate and decided by WHO. The application form, containing the required information, shall be submitted through a dedicated online platform.

Applications for accreditation shall reach the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific no later than 31 December at 17:00 Manila time of a given year.

Requests shall be reviewed by the Secretariat of the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific to ensure that the eligibility criteria and other FENSA requirements have been fulfilled.

Subsequently, the outcome of the review and the draft decision by the Secretariat shall be considered by the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific using the standard practice and mechanisms through which the draft agenda, working documents, reports and draft resolutions are considered as part of the preparatory work of the Regional Committee.

At its regular annual session, the Regional Committee considers, amends when necessary, and adopts or rejects the draft decision for accreditation.

The Regional Committee’s accreditation decision will be included in the Report of the Regional Committee, and the Regional Director will inform each entity of the Regional Committee’s decision on its application. The accreditation status and information of accredited non-State actors will be published on a dedicated platform.

Consistent with FENSA, the Regional Committee reviews each accredited non-State actor every three years and decides on whether to maintain the accreditation status or to defer the decision on the review to the following year or discontinue the accreditation.

In line with FENSA, the Regional Director can also propose an earlier review of an accreditation based on experience of the collaboration with the entity concerned (including but not limited to: in case of issues such as non-compliance with WHO rules and policies including FENSA, lack of contact, changes in the nature or activities of the entity concerned, the entity ceasing to fulfil the criteria for admission). The Regional Committee may discontinue accreditation if it considers that such relations are no longer appropriate or necessary in light of changing programmes or other circumstances. Similarly, the Regional Committee may suspend or discontinue accreditation if an entity no longer meets the criteria applicable at the time of granting the accreditation, or if it fails to update its information.

If an entity’s application for accreditation is rejected or its accreditation is discontinued, the entity may reapply after a two-year period from the date of rejection or discontinuation, during the next applicable application period, provided it can demonstrate that it has sufficiently addressed the reasons for the rejection or discontinuation and now fully meets all eligibility criteria. Each reapplication will be assessed on its own merits, in accordance with applicable policies and procedures.

External Relations and Partnerships Team, WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, WPRaccreditation@who.int.

WHO's engagement with non-State actors

WHO Register of non-State actors

WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific