Purpose, Principles,

Risks and Benefits of FENSA

WHO
Welcome to Module 7,
Unit 1
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:

Outline the purpose of the Framework of

Engagement with Non-State Actors (FENSA)

Summarize the principles, benefits and risks

of engaging with non-State actors

WHO / Mark Nieuwenhof

What is FENSA?

WHO / Nyka Alexander

WHO’s Role in Global Health

Non-State
actors
WHO
What is FENSA?

FENSA is an organization-wide policy governing all

WHO's engagements and relations with non-State
actors across the three levels of the Organization.
Purpose of FENSA

Strengthen
Protect WHO’s work
engagement with
from potential
FENSA risks
non-State actors
What Are Non-State Actors?

Non-governmental
Philanthropic foundations
organizations (NGOs)

Private sector entities Academic institutions

Engagement and Interaction

Technical
Participation Resources Advocacy Evidence
collaboration
Engagement and Interaction

FENSA procedures do not apply to informal interactions with

non-State actors, such as phone calls, informal discussion, preliminary
conversations, sharing of public materials on WHO’s activities or
areas of work.
Understanding FENSA

General principles for

engagements with
non-State actors

Specific WHO policies

Operational procedures
for working with
non-State actors
Principles, Benefits and
Risks of Engagement

WHO / Ploy Phutpheng

Principles, Benefits and Risks of Engagement

Non-State
actors
WHO

WHO should only engage with non-State actors when the

benefits for public health outweigh any possible risk of
engagement
Principles of FENSA
1 Demonstrate a clear benefit to public health
Conform with WHO’s Constitution, mandate
2 and general programme of work
Respect the intergovernmental nature of WHO
3 and the decision-making authority of Member
States
Support and enhance the scientific and
4 evidence-based approach that underpins
WHO’s work
5 Protect WHO from any undue influence
Not compromise WHO’s integrity,
6 independence, credibility and reputation
7 Be effectively managed
Be conducted on the basis of transparency,
8 openness, inclusiveness, accountability,
integrity and mutual respect
Benefits of FENSA

Long-term collaborations

Smaller, brief interactions

Benefits of FENSA

1 The contribution of non-State actors to WHO’s work

WHO’s influence on non-State actors to enhance their impact on global public

2 health, or the social, economic and environmental determinants of health

WHO’s influence on non-State actors’ compliance with WHO’s policies, norms

3 and standards

4 The additional resources non-State actors can contribute to WHO’s work

The wider dissemination of and adherence by non-State actors to WHO’s

5 policies, norms and standards
Risks of Engagement

The engagement conferring an endorsement of

1 Conflicts of interest 5 the non-State actor’s name, brand, product,
views or activity

Undue or improper influence exercised by a The whitewashing of a non-State actor’s image

2 non-State actor on WHO’s work 6 through an engagement with WHO

A negative impact on WHO’s integrity

3 independence, credibility and reputation 7 A competitive advantage for a non-State actor

The engagement being used to serve the

4 interests of the non-State actor with limited or
no benefits for WHO and public health
You have now completed
this video on the purpose
and principles of FENSA.
Try the End-of-Unit quiz to recap what you have learned.

WHO / Olivier Asselin