Mangaluru NGO inducted into WHO's Global Civil Society Commission
The Commission, created by WHO to strengthen collaboration with civil society actors, focuses on key areas including primary healthcare, gender rights, health equity, and community-based health interventions.
APDF's membership was confirmed through a letter jointly signed by Commission co-chairs Ravi Ram and Lisa Hilmi.
The Foundation was selected from a global pool of nearly 680 applicants after a multi-phase review and due diligence process by WHO.
APD Foundation has earned a reputation for pioneering projects in air quality management, inclusive sanitation, and occupational health in urban settings.
Its initiatives—such as Smart Swaccha Mangaluru (in partnership with UN-Habitat), Shuddha Gaali, and Waste Wise Cities—have combined grassroots activism with data-driven policy advocacy.
Commenting on the milestone, APDF founder Abdullah A. Rehman said, 'This inclusion validates our approach of combining community action with evidence-based solutions.
It also brings attention to how smaller cities like Mangaluru can be models of public health innovation.'
The WHO Commission held its first annual general meeting in March 2024 and laid out a two-year action plan while forming three working groups to guide engagement with global civil society.
APDF's induction is seen as a move towards diversifying voices in international forums and ensuring representation from cities outside of traditional urban centres.
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