page_title: World Health Organization
section_title: IAEA – Agreement WHA 12–40
hierarchical_section_title: World Health Organization / Controversies / IAEA – Agreement WHA 12–40
caption_attribution_description: English: Alexei Yablokov, Rosa Goncharova, Vassili Nesterenko in front of the World Health Organisation, Geneva. Français&#160;: Alexeï Yablokov, Rosa Goncharova, Vassili Nesterenko devant l'Organisation Mondiale de la Santé, Genève
context_page_description: The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution, which establishes the agency's governing structure and principles, states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health." It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with six semi-autonomous regional offices and 150 field offices worldwide.
  The WHO was established by constitution on 7 April 1948, which is commemorated as World Health Day. The first meeting of the World Health Assembly, the agency's governing body, took place on 24 July 1948. The WHO incorporated the assets, personnel, and duties of the League of Nations' Health Organisation and the Office International d'Hygiène Publique, including the International Classification of Diseases. Its work began in earnest in 1951 following a significant infusion of financial and technical resources.
  The WHO's broad mandate includes advocating for universal healthcare, monitoring public health risks, coordinating responses to health emergencies, and promoting human health and well being.
context_section_description: In 1959, the WHO signed Agreement WHA 12–40 with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).  A selective reading of this document (clause 3) can result in the understanding that the IAEA is able to prevent the WHO from conducting research or work on some areas. The agreement states that the WHO recognizes the IAEA as having responsibility for peaceful nuclear energy without prejudice to the roles of the WHO of promoting health. The following paragraph adds:
  whenever either organization proposes to initiate a programme or activity on a subject in which the other organization has or may have a substantial interest, the first party shall consult the other with a view to adjusting the matter by mutual agreement.
  The nature of this statement has led some groups and activists including Women in Europe for a Common Future to claim that the WHO is restricted in its ability to investigate the effects on human health of radiation caused by the use of nuclear power and the continuing effects of nuclear disasters in Chernobyl and Fukushima. They believe WHO must regain what they see as independence.
  IndependentWHO held a weekly vigil from 2007–2017 in front of WHO headquarters.
  However, as pointed out by Foreman in clause 2 it states:
  2. “2. In particular, and in accordance with the Constitution of the World Health Organization
  and the Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency and its agreement with the
  United Nations together with the exchange of letters related thereto, and taking into
  account the respective co-ordinating responsibilities of both organizations, it is recognized
  by the World Health Organization that the International Atomic Energy Agency has the
  primary responsibility for encouraging, assisting and co- ordinating research and development and practical application of atomic energy for peaceful uses throughout the world
  without prejudice to the right of the World Health Organization to concern itself with
  promoting, developing, assisting and co-ordinating international health work, including
  
  research, in all its aspects.”
  The key text is highlighted in bold, the agreement in clause 2 states that the WHO is free to perform any health related work. Thus showing how the views of Alexei Yablokov and the other antinuclear activists who are opposed to the WHO's agreement with the IAEA is based on a very selective reading of the document.
caption: Alexey Yablokov (left) and Vassili Nesterenko (farthest right) protesting in front of the World Health Organization headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland in 2008.
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