Parliamentary Action for Health, Rights, and Resilience

WHO & ⁣IPU Forge Stronger Ties to tackle​ Global Health Challenges: From‍ Reproductive Rights to Food Security

Geneva, Switzerland – The⁤ World Health Organization (WHO) actively participated in the 151st Inter-Parliamentary​ Union (IPU) Assembly, ⁢held October 19-23, 2025,⁤ in Geneva, Switzerland. The event brought together nearly 1150 delegates,‍ including over 600 parliamentarians from 132 countries, to focus on critical global ⁤health issues, including sexual and reproductive health⁢ and rights⁢ (SRHR), food security, and humanitarian action. The Assembly marked the inaugural meeting of the IPU Committee on Health, signaling a​ renewed commitment to parliamentary​ engagement in health ⁤policy.

The​ week-long assembly saw WHO officials engaging with parliamentary leaders and technical ⁣partners to reinforce the vital role of ​legislatures in advancing health equity, protecting humanitarian principles, and building resilient health systems. Key​ discussions centered around translating global health commitments into concrete legislative action.

Advancing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

A central focus of the Assembly was aligning ​SRHR policy and legislation ⁣with the realities faced ​by ​individuals. Dr. Pascale Allotey, Director of WHO’s Department of Sexual, Reproductive, maternal, Child and Adolescent​ Health and Ageing, participated in‌ the first meeting of the IPU Committee on Health, emphasizing the foundational importance of SRHR for demographic sustainability, economic development, and resilient health systems.

Dr. Allotey stressed the⁣ need for evidence-based ‍policymaking, especially in the face of growing misinformation and political opposition. Shared priorities identified for the coming year⁤ include:

* integrating SRHR into Global Health Coverage (UHC): ensuring access to⁢ comprehensive SRHR services as part of essential healthcare packages.
*⁣ Addressing Adolescent SRH: ⁢ Focusing on prevention of early pregnancy and providing ​age-appropriate⁣ SRH education.
* addressing Infertility: Recognizing infertility as a public health issue and expanding access to fertility care.
* Data-driven ⁢Policy: Utilizing data to inform progressive policy⁤ development, ⁢including safe abortion care.

The IPU Committee on Health formally prioritized SRHR as a key area of focus for its⁤ ongoing work.

Tackling Food Insecurity Through parliamentary Leadership

WHO⁤ co-hosted a high-level workshop, “Breaking the⁤ hunger ⁢cycle: addressing food security,” with the ​IPU, PMNCH, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Ms. Kaia Engesveen, WHO Technical ⁢Officer, presented alarming global malnutrition data, highlighting ⁢the urgent ⁤need for accelerated action to meet the 2030 Global Nutrition Targets.

Ms. engesveen outlined ⁣several regulatory ⁤interventions parliamentarians can champion to combat malnutrition:

* ⁣ Food Fortification: Adding essential nutrients to commonly consumed foods.
* Public Food Procurement: Prioritizing nutritious food in government purchasing​ programs.
* Restrictions on Unhealthy Food Marketing: Limiting the promotion of foods high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats.
* Taxation ‌of Sugary Drinks: ​Discouraging consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.

The ⁣workshop showcased successful national examples ​of legislative leadership translating global commitments⁤ into tangible improvements in nutrition and food security. It⁤ also served as a precursor to the Third Global Parliamentary Summit against Hunger and Malnutrition, scheduled for ‍2026 in Midrand, South Africa.

Global Malnutrition statistics (recent ‌Data – illustrative):