The Steering Committee of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) Civil Society Commission has approved the Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) participating in the WHO Civil Society Commission to Strengthen Civil Society Organizations’ Role in Accelerating Progress in Global Health.
The mission of the WHO Civil Society Commission is to strengthen dialogue, foster collaboration and provide recommendations to support WHO in its engagement with civil society at global, regional and national levels to achieve health for all and the objectives of the WHO General Programme of Work as well as to accelerate attainment of health-related SDGs.
Its goal is, taking into consideration the civil society’s voices available to WHO, to support WHO’s efforts towards improving engagement between WHO and civil society at global, regional, and national levels, rendering it more systematic with the aim of advancing WHO’s work and public health outcomes.
Over 350 Organizations have so far applied to be part of the Commission. Today, WHO will begin to notify the 120 organizations that have been accepted so far. The launch of the Commission is the Director-General’s response to civil society requests to explore better and more meaningful ways to engage with WHO above and beyond those that already exist.
“We know from our experience in so many areas that listening to and responding to the voices of the communities we serve is essential to properly addressing the health challenges they face,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. ”We have set up the WHO Civil Society Commission to bring civil society from different backgrounds together to advise us and work with us so that we can learn from you and be guided by your ideas.”
BNNRC’s approach to media development is both knowledge-driven and context-sensitive. It considers the challenges and opportunities created by Bangladesh’s rapidly changing media environment, including community radio broadcasting development giving voices to the voiceless.
BNNRC is in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), accredited with World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), SDGs Media Compact of the United Nations and UN WSIS prize winner 2016, Champion 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023 for media development and digital transformation.
Meanwhile, BNNRC has been working with the WHO Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Platform, the BNNRC awarded for carrying out of World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Action Line C-9 Media in line with COVID-19 mobilization and implementing the Health Governance programs in Bangladesh.
The BNNRC has been hosting the Executive Secretariat of Bangladesh Initiative for Connecting, Empowering & Amplifying Unified Voices at Global Digital Compact and UN Summit of the Future 2024: Make Bangladesh’s voice heard at the GDC & UN Summit of the Future.