76th WHO World Health Assembly

When

21–30 May 2023

Where

Location: Geneva, Switzerland

Summary

At the 76th session of the World Health Assembly (WHA), Member States adopted the resolution “Accelerating efforts for preventing micronutrient deficiencies and their consequences, including spina bifida and other neural tube defects, through safe and effective food fortification,” paving the way for significant progress in advancing large-scale food fortification with micronutrients globally.

The resolution was put forward by Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, the European Union and its 27 Member States, Israel, Malaysia, and Paraguay. The resolution received support from advocacy and civil society organizations, with over 50 organizations—including FFI—calling on the World Health Organization (WHO) to accelerate efforts on micronutrient fortification of food through a jointly signed letter. During the WHA on 23 May, a special side event hosted by the Governments of Colombia, Ecuador, and Malaysia was held to celebrate the resolution.

The WHA is the decision-making body of WHO. It is attended by delegations from all WHO Member States and focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board. The main functions of the World Health Assembly are to determine the policies of the Organization, appoint the Director-General, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed program budget. The Health Assembly is held annually in Geneva, Switzerland.