World Health Organization 衫 Organisation Mondiale De La

i ^ WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION EB83/NGO/5 衫 ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTE 3 October 1988 RESTRICTED EXECUTIVE BOARD •тс’: Eighty-third Session APPLICATION FROM AN INTERNATIONAL NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION REQUESTING OFFICIAL RELATIONS WITH WHO1 1. Name of the international nongovernmental organization (hereinafter referred to as "the organization") WORLD VISION INTERNATIONAL (WVI) VISION MONDIALE INTERNATIONALE 2• Address of headquarters and name of person to whom correspondence should be addressed 919, West Huntington Drive Monrovia California 91016 USA For correspondence : Technical issues to be addressed to: Dr Eric Ram Director, International Health Programmes and Child Survival at the headquarters International liaison issues to : Mr Graeme Irvine Vice-President for International Relations 44, Chemin des Coudriers 1209 Geneva, Switzerland 3• General objectives World Vision is a Christian humanitarian agency providing emergency relief and conducting health and development activities in response to human need worldwide. 4. Main activities The general objectives of the organization are pursued in six broad areas of work. Although separately described below, these main activities are normally well integrated in practice. As submitted by the applicant on 29 July 1988. The designations employed in this document are those which have been used by the nongovernmental organization itself in its application and do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. EB83/NGO/5 page 2 A. Child and Family Care - WVI takes a development approach to assisting children and families, putting emphasis on projects designed with the participation of the community, owned and conducted by the community, and having specific development goals that benefit all those in the community. This approach helps to change the conditions in which the children are living and helps create an environment that offers hope for the future. The projects can benefit children by providing funds for schools, books or clothing; immunization against childhood diseases, dental and medical care, nutrition education for mothers, agricultural production, health training, vocational training, etc. A more detailed list of activities directly related to health with selected examples is as follows : (a) Health care and integrated health and development In the Maranhao State in North-East Brazil an integrated health programme among the poor farmers has been able to reduce the infant mortality, for instance, from 200/1000 live births to 20/1000 within five years. (b) Maternal and child health care In Northern Mali a maternal and child health programme along with a nutrition and health education programme has grown in demand among the Touareg and Sonrai people. (c) Immunization programmes In most countries where World Vision operates, immunization is part of the health care programme for children. One example is Senegal. where a high level of immunization coverage has been achieved in the Louga region. (d) Diarrhoeal diseases control Use of oral rehydration treatment is promoted through all health programmes. World Vision International has undertaken water development programmes to ensure that people have access to safe water. In Ghana this has been carried out on a wide scale. (e) AIDS Health education and information material from WHO and other organizations are made available to health care workers. (f) Health service development and management World Vision encourages hospitals and dispensaries to evolve primary health care programmes as part of the health service programme, so that they can be better used as support and referral centres. (g) Health education and information Health education is the basis of World Vision's health programmes. A number of training seminars have been held on health education and educational materials provided and used in partnership with the Mauritanian Ministry of Health, for example, where World Vision's health education programmes are regularly featured on television. EB83/NGO/5 page 3 (h) Essential drugs. through hospital associations and maj or relief medical programmes A shipment of essential drugs has recently been sent to the Malawi Ministry of Health, for the use of both Malawians and the Mozambican refugees. This is but one of a number of recent medical supplies in relief situations. (i) Nutritional programmes Mali. Mauritania. Chad. Ethiopia, and Brazil can be cited as examples of countries where nutrition programmes have been established. In Mauritania in the Assaba, where night blindness is very common, a special emphasis has been given to strengthening the vitamin A programme, with good results. (j) Communicable disease control programmes Uganda. Philippines. Guatemala. Kenya. and Ethiopia are some of many countries where control and prevention of communicable diseases are part of the primary health care programmes. Community health workers are trained in these areas. (k) Environmental health Provision of safe drinking-water through boreholes and protected wells is being provided in Senegal, Ghana, Malawi, Kenya, etc. Building sanitary latrines is a component of numerous programmes in Kenya, Zimbabwe. India, Bangladesh. etc. B. Relief and Rehabilitation - World Vision has a reputation for being among the first to respond to disasters - and then staying on to carry out rehabilitation programmes that meet community needs. When famine needs had been met in Ethiopia in 1986 and in Mozambique in 1987, an AgpaK programme was developed to provide thousands of families with the seeds, fertilizers and tools with which to become self-reliant again. Over the years, World Vision has responded to earthquakes in Nicaragua and Guatemala, to floods in Bangladesh and India, to famine in Ethiopia, Mozambique and Sudan, to refugees in Thailand, Zimbabwe and Zaire, to the boat people fleeing Viet Nam and many others. Whenever possible, relief programmes are carried out through local or national partners. When necessary, the agency's specialized relief staff become directly involved. C. Community Development - Projects funded by World Vision are aimed at those needs identified by the community. The community's leadership must be involved in the design, operation and evaluation of the project. Also, the community itself must make some type of investment in the project, which can include a wide range of activities, such as: health/nutrition/family planning, agricultural production, land regeneration, employment and income generating programmes. Most projects are medium-range (1-5 years) in length; occasionally, larger complex regional development programmes are undertaken. Because of the size and nature of such projects, specialized staff in engineering, hydrology and other required skills are directly involved. D. Leadership Development - World Vision seeks to support, encourage and strengthen Christian leaders through Pastors‘ Conferences, consultations, training programmes and educational opportunities. These activities, which are usually the outcome of local initiative, involve both clergy and lay people, women and men, and youth. E. Sharing Faith - The agency seeks to communicate God's love for all mankind by caring for peoples' physical and social needs, as well as by providing opportunities for spiritual nurture. This opportunity is extended by local Christian partner agencies or churches to ensure a presentation that is sensitive to local culture. World Vision works with churches of all denominations and is opposed to proselytism or coercion of any kind. EB83/NGO/5 page 4 F. Creating Worldview - It is important that people see beyond their own situations and be concerned about the needs of others. World Vision believes it has a vital role in development education, in both support and field countries,1 as economic conditions improve, those who have received help often wish to assist others less fortunate. Providing the opportunity to tangibly express compassion enhances one's dignity and progress towards self reliance. Over the years, field countries like Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore have become supporting partners； others like the Republic of Korea and Brazil are in the process. 5• How do the objectives and activities of the organization relate to the General Programme of Work of WHO? World Vision International‘s objective of making health care available to all, especially the children, the most deprived and poor, relates well with WHO's objective of "Health for All". 6• Specific interest with reference to the work of WHO (a) Please list activities which the organization has carried out jointly with WHO during the preceding period of working relations In 1980 the process of collaboration between WHO and WVI started when WHO invited WVI to help develop material for publication on the issue of health systems support for primary health care. Since then, a WVI representative has attended a number of WHO expert committee meetings in an advisory capacity. In 1984, a WVI representative served as a temporary adviser in the preparation of materials for a WHO expert committee on the role of the first referral level in primary health care. In 1985, a WVI representative was invited as temporary adviser to the Expert Committee on the Role of Hospitals at the First Referral Level. The paper contributed was also published in World Health Forum. In 1986, WHO provided technical

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