World Health Organization and the search for accountability: a critical analysis of the new framework of engagement with non-state actors

A Organização Mundial da Saúde e a procura da responsabilização: uma análise crítica da estrutura de colaboração com intervenientes não estatais

La Organización Mundial de la Salud y la búsqueda de la rendición de cuentas: un análisis crítico del nuevo marco de colaboración con los actores no estatales

The article probes the origins and content of the Framework of Engagement with Non-State Actors (FENSA) of the World Health Organization (WHO), approved on May 28, 2016, at the 69^th World Health Assembly, which established different rules of collaboration to four categories of actors: nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), private sector entities, philanthropic foundations, and academic institutions. Applying the findings of International Legal Theory and based on extensive documentary research, we sought to determine whether FENSA is an appropriate accountability mechanism according to four functions of accountability: constitutional, democratic, epistemic, and populist. The article concludes that there is a risk of the prevalence of the populist function at the expense of the accountability potential that could result from the better use of the other three accountability functions.

Global Health; Legal Liability; International Law