The 25th meeting of the UN NCD Task Force has just concluded — bringing together colleagues from 24 UN agencies. The central focus: how to turn the new Political Declaration on NCDs and mental health into concrete action amid tightening resources.
The discussion opened with a clear reminder: the Task Force delivers.
An independent evaluation confirmed its effectiveness as a coordination mechanism, calling it ’an exemplar model of the UN working as one’. Its unique ability to unite agencies around a shared vision was key to supporting Member State negotiations on the Political Declaration.
But in developing an ever more effective response to support countries, Task Force members recognised that the context is changing. WHO and other UN agencies are having to prioritise what they do given recent budget constraints, while the broader UN80 reform calls for greater efficiency and clarity of roles. Against this backdrop, participants were asked: what does the future look like for the Task Force?
Members expressed their strong support for the Task Force citing its strong value as evidenced in the independent evaluation of the Task Force, including as an exemplar of UN reform. Members cited in particular the Task Force’s effective coordination and shared learning, successful joint missions and country-level impact. Overall, there was agreement that the Task Force needed to build on its success in order to support Member States deliver on the political declaration and the call to action that Heads of State and Government made of the UN system, Task Force and Health4Life Fund (see below). Members were resolute that they needed to working collectively to develop an ever-strong and more effective Task Force.
Next steps are already underway. The Task Force Secretariat, working in consultation with WHO and Members of the Task Force, will now develop the WHO management response to the Task Force evaluation, ahead of review and subsequent finalization by the WHO senior management.
In paragraphs 76 – 79 of the political declaration (REV4): Equity and integration: transforming lives and livelihoods through leadership and action on noncommunicable diseases and the promotion of mental health and well-being, Heads of State and Government and representatives of States and Governments: (i.e. without the line breaks) 76. Recognize the key role of the World Health Organization as the directing and coordinating authority on international health in accordance with its Constitution to continue to support Member States through its normative and standard-setting work, provision of technical cooperation, assistance and policy advice, and the promotion of multisectoral and multistakeholder partnerships and dialogues; |