Template and checklist for Member States preparing Health Assembly resolutions and/or decisions

Decision EB153(2) requested the Director-General to prepare a template and checklist to guide Member

States in their preparation of Health Assembly resolutions and/or decisions. The template and checklist

are provided below.

Template and checklist for Member States preparing

Health Assembly resolutions and/or decisions

Template

Element

Description

[Title]

Either the title of the agenda

item or another title which is

descriptive and informative

[Co-Sponsors]

List the sponsoring Member

States in alphabetical order

The Executive Board, having considered the report by the

Director-General,

Identify the title of the report

and provide a footnote which

contains the document

symbol

Recommends to the [Seventy-seventh] World Health Assembly the

adoption of the following [resolution]/[decision]

This sentence should be

included for EB resolutions

recommending either

resolutions or decisions for

adoption by WHA.

Decided to recommend to the [Seventy-seventh] World Health

Assembly the adoption of the following [resolution]/[decision]:

This sentence should be

included for EB decisions

recommending either

resolutions or decisions for

adoption by WHA.

The [Seventy-seventh] World Health Assembly,

Having considered the report by the Director-General [insert

reference to report],

Both resolutions and

decisions begin by referring

to the relevant governing

body and report

Resolutions and/or decisions template

• The text of each preambular paragraph begins with a word or

phrase like: Recalling…, Concerned that…, Having

considered…, Bearing in mind…, Aware…

• Preambular paragraphs introduce the background, context, and

justifications for the resolution’s content

• The number of preambular paragraphs should be limited to

avoid becoming overly lengthy, repetitive or redundant

Resolutions may contain

preambular paragraphs

• The text of each operative paragraph of a resolution begins

with a verb in the present tense (e.g. URGES…, DECIDES…,

REQUESTS…); in contrast, the text of each operative

paragraph of a decision is preceded by “decided to” (e.g.

decided to urge…, request…, to encourage)

• The number of operative paragraphs should be determined by

the scope of the resolution or decision and the various actions

or measures required to address the issue adequately

• Operative paragraphs are the heart of resolutions and

decisions, as they contain the actionable items that the

resolution or decision seeks to convey (for Member States, the

Director-General and other stakeholders as necessary in

separate paragraphs, e.g. OP1, OP2, OP3, etc.)

• Each operative paragraph should focus on a specific action,

request, or directive related to the issue at hand

• It is important to ensure that each operative paragraph is clear,

concise, and well-structured, so that the implementation of the

resolution’s objectives can be effectively carried out

• It is essential to strike a balance between being comprehensive

and avoiding excessive detail that might hinder the resolution’s

clarity and effectiveness

Resolutions and decisions

both contain operative

paragraphs. The difference is

simply that for decisions, the

operative paragraph is

preceded by “decided to”

• In decision WHA72(22), the Health Assembly decided “that

resolutions and decisions should provide for clear reporting

requirements, including reporting cycles of up to six years,

with biennial reports, unless otherwise advised by the

Director-General”

• It may be otherwise advised by the Secretariat if reporting

could be consolidated into existing reporting requirements on

similar subjects

• Since 2014, progress reports are considered by the Health

Assembly only, in accordance with resolution WHA67.2

Both resolutions and

decisions contain reporting

requirements, which must be

time-limited.

Ex) to request the

Director-General to report

back on progress in the

implementation of this

[resolution]/[decision] to the

World Health Assembly in

2026, 2028 and 2030

Resolutions and/or decisions checklist

Checklist

❑ Identification of relevant EB agenda item

❑ Contact the Secretariat and discuss the process of proposing a resolution/decision

❑ Assessment of potential duplication/synergies through discussion with the relevant

WHO technical team

❑ Preparation of concept note for distribution to Member States (by 1 November)

❑ Preparation of zero draft of resolution text for distribution to Member States with

support from Secretariat as necessary (by 1 November) using template

❑ Inclusion of reporting requirements in zero draft

❑ Identification of individual(s) to chair informal consultations

❑ Coordination with Secretariat to identify slots to hold informal consultations (starting

in October)

❑ Email invitations to Member States to join informal consultations using most up-to-

date contact list provided by the Secretariat

❑ Finalization of text once consensus has been reached (ideally by 8 December)

❑ Identification of co-sponsors (including at least one EB member)

❑ Submission of text to [email protected] by 12 January

There is an expectation that for purposes of good governance and to ensure that the Health Assembly has sufficient

information before considering proposals, draft resolutions and decisions be first considered by the Executive Board. This

expectation is reflected in resolutionWHA44.30 (1991) whereby the Health Assembly decided that, as a general principle,

resolutions concerning technical matters should be considered by the EB before being considered by the Health Assembly.

This general principle was reiterated by the Health Assembly in resolution WHA47.14 (1994).