WHO Renews Women in Global Health’s Non-State Actor Status, Reinforcing Its Role in Global Health Leadership

13 February 2026

Geneva, Switzerland  – 6 February 2026

Women in Global Health (WGH) is pleased to announce that the World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board, at its 158th session, has approved the renewal of WGH’s Non-State Actor (NSA) status, reaffirming our official relations with WHO.

This decision follows a comprehensive review process and confirms WHO’s continued confidence in WGH as a trusted global partner advancing gender equality, equity, and leadership in global health. The renewal reinforces WGH’s role as a leading civil society organization contributing technical expertise, advocacy, and implementation support to WHO’s priorities.

As part of the renewal, WGH and WHO have agreed on a new Plan of Collaboration, which will guide joint work over the next few years. This collaboration will involve engagement with the WHO Gender, Rights, Equity & Sexual Misconduct Prevention Department and the WHO Academy, strengthening efforts to advance gender-responsive health systems and leadership across the global health workforce.

In addition, the collaboration has expanded to include Women in Global Health’s support for the implementation of the WHO Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative, launched by the WHO Director-General in 2020. This engagement aligns with WGH’s longstanding commitment to addressing gender-based health inequities and advancing women-centered, rights-based approaches to care and its current focus on women’s health, an area that has been plagued by structural and systemic inequities. The renewal of the NSA status is a result of a sustained dialogue and engagement with WHO leadership and reflects WGH’s growing global footprint, credibility, and impact across regions, following renewed and visionary leadership, strategic investment in its institutional strengthening, and coherent advocacy priorities.

Women in Global Health extends its sincere appreciation to its Board, leadership, Chapter members, partners, and allies whose expertise, commitment, and collective action made this milestone possible. This renewed status strengthens WGH’s ability to contribute meaningfully to global health governance and to advance equitable, inclusive, and accountable health systems worldwide.