Tag

#WHO

The World Health Organization (https://www.who.int/) — the UN agency responsible for international public health. Incidents involve U.S. withdrawal from or defunding of WHO, undermining global pandemic preparedness and health coordination.

4 incidents

Updated April 5, 2026 Foreign Policy & War
War Crime / Crime Against Humanity Ongoing

Repeated Strikes Near Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant Risk Radioactive Catastrophe

Repeated strikes near Bushehr nuclear power plant violate Additional Protocol I Article 56's specific protection of nuclear electrical generating stations. Even without a radiation release, strikes on or near an active nuclear reactor in a city of 250,000 constitute reckless endangerment of the civilian population and violate the prohibition on disproportionate attacks under Rome Statute Article 8(2)(b)(iv).

Sources
6
Iran warBushehrnuclear power plantIAEAradioactive
Updated May 20, 2026 Foreign Policy & War
War Crime / Crime Against Humanity Ongoing

Attacks on Iranian Healthcare Facilities: WHO Verifies 18 Strikes on Hospitals and Medical Infrastructure

A sustained pattern of strikes on Iranian hospitals, ambulances, and medical infrastructure has killed healthcare workers and forced the evacuation of six hospitals. The WHO verified 18 attacks on health sites through mid-March 2026, documenting systematic damage to protected medical facilities including Gandhi Hospital and Iranian Red Crescent centers. The pattern continued through the April 7 ceasefire, and HRW documented further strikes through the ceasefire period in its April 2026 report.

Sources
13
hospital attackshealthcareGeneva ConventionsIran warwar crimes
Updated March 25, 2026 Federal Dismantlement
Major Abuse of Power Ongoing

US Withdrawal from the World Health Organization — Dismantling Global Pandemic Preparedness

The US withdrew from the WHO effective January 2026, removing the organization's largest funder and dismantling pandemic preparedness infrastructure. The WHO announced plans to cut 2,300 jobs — 25% of its workforce. The withdrawal degrades global disease surveillance, influenza vaccine matching, and outbreak response capacity at a time of ongoing zoonotic disease threats.

Sources
8
WHOWorld Health Organizationpandemic preparednessglobal healthdisease surveillance
Updated July 7, 2020 Foreign Policy & War
Major Abuse of Power

WHO Withdrawal: Leaving World Health Organization During COVID Pandemic

Trump had previously threatened to withdraw or defund the WHO in April 2020; in May he made the withdrawal formal. Critics noted that withdrawing from the WHO during a pandemic eliminated U.S. influence over the global response to the same pandemic — including over vaccine development coordination, variant tracking, and equitable distribution programs. The U.S. would lose voting rights, committee seats, and the ability to shape WHO standards and guidelines. Allies and public health experts across the political spectrum criticized the decision. Biden rejoined the WHO within hours of taking office on January 20, 2021.

Sources
3
WHOCOVIDforeign-policyfirst-termmultilateralism