Steering Committee members
The following representatives of WHO Civil Society Commission participants have been nominated by their organizations and selected to serve on the WHO Civil Society Commission Steering Committee for the period 2025–2027.
Abs development for child and women (ADO)
Wafa Mohamed Al Madhagi
Fundraising and partnership manager
”As a member of the Steering Committee, my aspiration would be to amplify the voices of civil societies and ensure their meaningful engagement in global health decision-making processes. By working together, we can leverage collective expertise and resources to tackle complex health challenges, promote knowledge exchange, and drive sustainable change at the global, regional and local levels.”
World Medical Association
Lujain Alqodmani
Immediate Past President
”I see the WHO CSO Commission as an inclusive and open platform that connects WHO with CSO organizations as key partners to achieve its mission and ensure better health for health. I hope with my role as Steering Committee member to enable and fully unlock the full potential of the Commission. ”
Asociación Ciudadana por los Derechos Humanos, Argentina
María José Lubertino Beltran
President
”As an ecofeminist from Latin America and the Caribbean, I am committed to ensuring greater prevention and equality in access to healthcare, especially for girls, boys, women, people with disabilities and older persons. I also advocate for access to clean water and strengthening universal health coverage worldwide.”
The Save the Children Fund (SCF)
Tara Brace-John
Head of Health Policy Advocacy & Research
”Formalising civil society engagement within WHO policy processes is key to unlocking synergies which will strengthen and transform both WHO and civil society. I’m very happy to have the opportunity to be part of the Civil Society Commission which will lead this exciting change process.”
Action contre la Faim
Sarah Brousse
Health System Strengthening Advisor
”The WHO Civil Society Commission is essential to promoting and embodying a cultural shift toward meaningful engagement of civil society actors at local, national, and global levels across all health governance platforms. Contributing to its work and influence will help advance health democracy throughout the world.”
International Cerebral Palsy Society
John Coughlan
Secretary General
”As the parent of a child with severe cerebral palsy, I hope that the Civil Society Commission will provide a platform for the voices of persons with disabilities and their families to be heard within the World Health Organization.”
Fundación Huésped
Kurt Frieder
President
”Latin America is always neglected and invisible in almost all multinational spaces although it has big sectors of its population struggling with poverty and despair. In a troubled world that demands peace and human rights as its utmost important values, my aspiration as part of the Steering Committee of WHO CSO Commission is to contribute to the effort of reaching equitable access to well-being and essential healthcare services for all, not leaving anyone behind.”
European Lung Foundation (ELF)
Kjeld Hansen
Chair
”I am a person with asthma and the former Chair of the Council of the European Lung Foundation. As such I oversaw the transformation of the foundation during the COVID-19 pandemic, which included a stronger focus on lived experiences of both common and rare lung diseases as well as how they are integrated into lung health science. I have been particularly active within issues related to climate change and digital health.”
Innovation Hub for Inclusiveness, Empowerment and Social Development (SieDi-Hub)
Chinasa U. Imo
Founder and Executive Director
"Real change in healthcare access begins when communities are part of the conversation. My vision for the CSO Commission is to move beyond consultation and bring the voices of rural and hard-to-reach communities to the table as we deliberate and shape global health agendas. I look forward to collaborating with fellow Steering Committee members and WHO partners to strengthen civil society engagement in global health governance, shape responsive health systems, and ensure our collective voices drive meaningful, equitable change."
Alliance for Public Health
Zahedul Islam
Director
”As a member of the CSO Steering Committee, I am motivated to strengthen civil society's role in shaping WHO’s agenda at all levels. My goal is to advance universal health coverage, pandemic preparedness, and equitable access to health services. I am committed to leveraging my experience and skills to foster meaningful and impactful engagement between the WHO and civil society, ensuring that the perspectives of affected communities are central to all policy and programmatic decisions.”
Royal Health Awareness Society, Jordan
Amal Ireifij
Director General
”Civil society engagement is vital for global health, ensuring policies reflect real community needs. Through the Commission, we have the power to champion prevention, nurture the exchange of wisdom across borders, and translate evidence into action that transforms lives. Together, we share the vision to advance equity and lasting change for all communities. ”
World Patients Alliance
Hussain Jafri
CEO
”Civil society brings the voices of patients and communities to the centre of global health. As CEO of the World Patients Alliance, I believe the CSO Commission provides a vital platform to ensure that patient perspectives shape policies and actions that advance equity, safety, and people-centred care worldwide.”
Amref Health Africa
Vania Kibui
Regional Policy Advocacy Specialist
”My vision for the WHO Civil Society Commission centres on amplifying marginalised voices—particularly women and youth—in shaping global health architecture. By fostering genuine partnership between civil society, governments, and multilateral institutions, we can dismantle systemic barriers and build health systems that are centred on equity, accountability, and community-driven innovation.”
ACON (formerly AIDS Council of New South Wales)
Justin Koonin
President
”The Civil Society Commission is an important mechanism to build capacity within WHO to engage with civil society and communities more effectively. When WHO can do that, it will set an example to Member States, and ultimately lead to better relations between civil society, communities and governments at the national level. I hope to bring my experience working across governments, civil society and multilateral institutions to build greater trust and cooperation between them all.”
Centre for Economic Empowerment and Development (C-SEED/SL)
Abdul Rahman Edward Koroma
President and Country Director
”Civil society must be the architect of inclusive global health where disability rights, gender justice, and community wisdom shape every decision. I envision a future where equity is not a promise, but a practice led by those most affected.”
World Organization of the Scout Movement
Monserrath Lopez
Manager, Education and Impact
”Health for All becomes real when communities are heard and empowered. Civil society brings lived experience, innovation, and accountability to global health governance. My vision for the Commission is to serve as a bridge connecting grassroots action with policies to contribute to a better, healthier collective future.”
Women in Global Health
Shilpa Maiya
India Chapter Member
”I have worked with women in rural and tribal parts of India for over 18 years on various health topics such as women’s reproductive and sexual health, nutrition, and primary health care. My experience in tribal parts of the country in three Indian states has enriched me with lessons of the special circumstances of working in these areas. I would like to bring in grassroots realities to the Commission and bring in varied perspectives of engagement at global, regional and national levels. Accelerating SDGs cannot happen in silos. Therefore, I would like to see the Commission steer in ways that are inclusive of gender, health topics, across regions of the globe.”
Caregivers Asha Society
Arvind Mathur
President
”As a member of the Steering Committee of the WHO Civil Society Commission, I see this as an opportunity to bring grassroots experience from LMICs into global health planning—shaping relevant, equitable policies and interventions that reflect real-world needs and advance the Commission’s vision of inclusive, people-centred health systems.”
AJECI (Association Jeunesse et Enfance de Côte d'Ivoire)
Pie Delores Nesmon
Communication Officer
”Civil society engagement in global health is essential to ensure equity and inclusion of community voices. As a member of the WHO Civil Society Steering Committee, I am committed to strengthening collaboration so that every policy reflects the real needs of populations.”
Medwise Solutions
Ravi Ram
Director of Health Systems Evaluation
”I hope for the WHO Civil Society Commission start with enhancing a mutual understanding and trust between WHO and broader civil society: so that each is confident in the respective strengths of the other and both see each other as reliable partners in health collaborations, technical and otherwise. Beyond enhancing such WHO-civil society interactions, I see the Commission is a voice for public perspectives, concerns, critiques and aspirations toward truly achieving health as a fundamental right for all.”
International Planned Parenthood Federation
Nihal Hatem Ezzeldin Said
Senior Technical Advisor
”As a member of the CSO Commission Steering Committee, I will amplify the perspectives of Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) providers as human rights defenders serving marginalized communities, ensuring their voices shape WHO policies. I am committed to supporting the CSO Commission to foster meaningful community engagement and strengthen accountability in global health decision-making.”
International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness
Junu Shrestha
Policy and Advocacy Manager
”Civil society is the conscience of global health- driving accountability, equity, and inclusive solutions. Through the Commission, I envision a stronger, collective voice that bridges grassroots realities with global policymaking, ensuring no issues are left unheard or unaddressed.”
World Vision International
Fiona Uellendahl
Policy Advisor Health and Nutrition
”Health is a human right. Every day millions of people don’t have access to lifesaving health care. We must get civil society to be heard to make sure everyone everywhere can get health care.”
Health and Global Policy Institute
Eri Yoshimura
Senior Manager
”Given this prestigious opportunity to be a part of this pivotal engagement platform between WHO and CSOs, I aspire to amplify the voices of patients and citizens, as well as gather collective knowledge obtained from multi-stakeholder collaboration and discussions. As a representative of CSOs in Japan and Asia, I will ensure these perspectives inform global health governance and strengthen inclusive policymaking worldwide.”