SIXTY-NINTH WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY Provisional agenda item 22.1
A69/65 23 May 2016
Human Resources: annual report Report of the Programme, Budget and Administration Committee of the Executive Board to the Sixty-ninth World Health Assembly
1. The Committee considered the annual report on human resources,1 which provided an update on several human resource policies, such as the geographical mobility policy, as well as on United Nations common system issues, including preparation for the implementation of United Nations General Assembly resolution 70/244 (2015), concerning the mandatory age of separation and remuneration of international professional staff. The report also analysed some trends in the WHO workforce (workforce data for the period from 1 January to 31 December 2015 were available on the WHO website)2. 2. The Committee welcomed the report and commended the implementation of the first voluntary mobility exercise. One member, suggested that in order to increase the proportion of headquarters’ international professional staff moving to another duty station, especially for an organization that wished to be both normative and operational, non-financial incentives might also be introduced as part of the geographical mobility policy. The Committee looked forward to receiving, at its session in January 2017, information on the outcome of evaluation of the first mobility exercise, as well as on the long-term target for the proportion of international staff in the professional and higher categories moving between major offices. 3. The Committee urged the Secretariat to continue its efforts to improve gender balance and geographical representation. It welcomed the creation of a think-tank on gender equity and looked forward to seeing concrete actions being implemented in that area. It asked for an update on the indicators used in the reform dashboard to be included when drawing up the next human resources report. Similarly, performance management indicators should be updated in the reform dashboard. 4. The Committee encouraged the Secretariat to continue its intensive efforts to implement United Nations General Assembly resolution 70/244 (2015). The annual report on human resources to be issued before the Committee’s next session should contain information about the financial and other implications of implementing that resolution. 5. The Committee expressed support for the steps taken to implement the new internal justice system and the Secretariat’s efforts to establish and manage the new functions across the Organization in a more cost-efficient way.
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Document A69/52.
See the document entitled “Human resources: update, Workforce data, As at 31 December 2015”, at: http://www.who.int/about/finances-accountability/budget/en/, accessed 7 April 2016.
A69/65
6. The Committee noted that the Secretariat was in the process of reviewing its use of non-staff contracts and looked forward to receiving a report on the findings of the review. 7. The Committee asked the Secretariat to report to the Executive Board at its 140th session in January 2017 on the human resource aspects of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative as that programme scaled down.
RECOMMENDATION TO THE HEALTH ASSEMBLY 8. The Committee recommended that the Health Assembly note the report contained in document A69/52.
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