Status- Table of contents Participants Notes Chapter IX Next treaty  

1. Constitution of the World Health Organization

New York, 22 July 1946

 

Entry into force: 7 April 1948, in accordance with article 80.
Registration: 7 April 1948, No. 221.
Status: Signatories: 59 ,Parties: 1931.
Text: United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 14, p. 185 (with regard to the text of subsequent amendments, see further under each series of amendments). 

Note: The Constitution was drawn up by the International Health Conference, which had been convened pursuant to resolution l (I)2 of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, adopted on 15 February 1946. The Conference was held at New York from 19 June to 22 July 1946. In addition to the Constitution, the Conference drew up the Final Act, the Arrangements for the Establishment of an Interim Commission of the World Health Organization and the Protocol concerning the Office international d'hygiène publique, for the text of which, see United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 9, p. 3.

 

 

PARTICIPANTS

Participant3,4  Signature  Definitive signature (s), Acceptance (A) 
Afghanistan    19 Apr 1948 A 
Albania  22 Jul 1946  26 May 1947 A 
Algeria    8 Nov 1962 A 
Andorra    15 Jan 1997 A 
Angola    15 May 1976 A 
Antigua and Barbuda    12 Mar 1984 A 
Argentina  22 Jul 1946  22 Oct 1948 A 
Armenia    4 May 1992 A 
Australia  22 Jul 1946  2 Feb 1948 A 
Austria  22 Jul 1946  30 Jun 1947 A 
Azerbaijan    2 Oct 1992 A 
Bahamas    1 Apr 1974 A 
Bahrain    2 Nov 1971 A 
Bangladesh    19 May 1972 A 
Barbados    25 Apr 1967 A 
Belarus  22 Jul 1946  7 Apr 1948 A 
Belgium  22 Jul 1946  25 Jun 1948 A 
Belize    23 Aug 1990 A 
Benin    20 Sep 1960 A 
Bhutan    8 Mar 1982 A 
Bolivia  22 Jul 1946  23 Dec 1949 A 
Bosnia and Herzegovina    10 Sep 1992 A 
Botswana    26 Feb 1975 A 
Brazil  22 Jul 1946  2 Jun 1948 A 
Brunei Darussalam    25 Mar 1985 A 
Bulgaria  22 Jul 1946  9 Jun 1948 A 
Burkina Faso    4 Oct 1960 A 
Burundi    22 Oct 1962 A 
Cambodia    17 May 1950 A 
Cameroon    6 May 1960 A 
Canada  22 Jul 1946  29 Aug 1946 A 
Cape Verde    5 Jan 1976 A 
Central African Republic    20 Sep 1960 A 
Chad    1 Jan 1961 A 
Chile  22 Jul 1946  15 Oct 1948 A 
China4,5,6    22 Jul 1946 s 
Colombia  22 Jul 1946  14 May 1959 A 
Comoros    9 Dec 1975 A 
Congo    26 Oct 1960 A 
Cook Islands    9 May 1984 A 
Costa Rica  22 Jul 1946  17 Mar 1949 A 
Côte d'Ivoire    28 Oct 1960 A 
Croatia    11 Jun 1992 A 
Cuba  22 Jul 1946  9 May 1950 A 
Cyprus    16 Jan 1961 A 
Czech Republic7    22 Jan 1993 A 
Democratic People's Republic of Korea    19 May 1973 A 
Democratic Republic of the Congo    24 Feb 1961 A 
Denmark  22 Jul 1946  19 Apr 1948 A 
Djibouti    10 Mar 1978 A 
Dominica    13 Aug 1981 A 
Dominican Republic  22 Jul 1946  21 Jun 1948 A 
Ecuador  22 Jul 1946  1 Mar 1949 A 
Egypt  22 Jul 1946  16 Dec 1947 A 
El Salvador  22 Jul 1946  22 Jun 1948 A 
Equatorial Guinea    5 May 1980 A 
Eritrea    24 Jul 1993 A 
Estonia    31 Mar 1993 A 
Ethiopia  22 Jul 1946  11 Apr 1947 A 
Fiji    1 Jan 1972 A 
Finland  22 Jul 1946  7 Oct 1947 A 
France  22 Jul 1946  16 Jun 1948 A 
Gabon    21 Nov 1960 A 
Gambia    26 Apr 1971 A 
Georgia    26 May 1992 A 
Germany8,9    29 May 1951 A 
Ghana    8 Apr 1957 A 
Greece  22 Jul 1946  12 Mar 1948 A 
Grenada    4 Dec 1974 A 
Guatemala  22 Jul 1946  26 Aug 1949 A 
Guinea    19 May 1959 A 
Guinea-Bissau    29 Jul 1974 A 
Guyana    27 Sep 1966 A 
Haiti  22 Jul 1946  12 Aug 1947 A 
Honduras  22 Jul 1946  8 Apr 1949 A 
Hungary  19 Feb 1947  17 Jun 1948 A 
Iceland    17 Jun 1948 A 
India  22 Jul 1946  12 Jan 1948 A 
Indonesia    23 May 1950 A 
Iran (Islamic Republic of)  22 Jul 1946  23 Nov 1946 A 
Iraq  22 Jul 1946  23 Sep 1947 A 
Ireland  22 Jul 1946  20 Oct 1947 A 
Israel    21 Jun 1949 A 
Italy  22 Jul 1946  11 Apr 1947 A 
Jamaica    21 Mar 1963 A 
Japan    16 May 1951 A 
Jordan  22 Jul 1946  7 Apr 1947 A 
Kazakhstan    19 Aug 1992 A 
Kenya    27 Jan 1964 A 
Kiribati    26 Jul 1984 A 
Kuwait    9 May 1960 A 
Kyrgyzstan    29 Apr 1992 A 
Lao People's Democratic Republic    17 May 1950 A 
Latvia    4 Dec 1991 A 
Lebanon  22 Jul 1946  19 Jan 1949 A 
Lesotho    7 Jul 1967 A 
Liberia  22 Jul 1946  14 Mar 1947 A 
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya    16 May 1952 A 
Lithuania    25 Nov 1991 A 
Luxembourg  22 Jul 1946  3 Jun 1949 A 
Madagascar    16 Jan 1961 A 
Malawi    9 Apr 1965 A 
Malaysia    24 Apr 1958 A 
Maldives    5 Nov 1965 A 
Mali    17 Oct 1960 A 
Malta    1 Feb 1965 A 
Marshall Islands    5 Jun 1991 A 
Mauritania    7 Mar 1961 A 
Mauritius    9 Dec 1968 A 
Mexico  22 Jul 1946  7 Apr 1948 A 
Micronesia (Federated States of)    14 Aug 1991 A 
Moldova    4 May 1992 A 
Monaco    8 Jul 1948 A 
Mongolia    18 Apr 1962 A 
Montenegro    29 Aug 2006 A 
Morocco    14 May 1956 A 
Mozambique    11 Sep 1975 A 
Myanmar    1 Jul 1948 A 
Namibia    23 Apr 1990 A 
Nauru    9 May 1994 A 
Nepal    2 Sep 1953 A 
Netherlands  22 Jul 1946  25 Apr 1947 A 
New Zealand10  22 Jul 1946  10 Dec 1946 A 
Nicaragua  22 Jul 1946  24 Apr 1950 A 
Niger    5 Oct 1960 A 
Nigeria    25 Nov 1960 A 
Niue    5 May 1994 A 
Norway  22 Jul 1946  18 Aug 1947 A 
Oman    28 May 1971 A 
Pakistan    23 Jun 1948 A 
Palau    9 Mar 1995 A 
Panama  22 Jul 1946  20 Feb 1951 A 
Papua New Guinea    29 Apr 1976 A 
Paraguay  22 Jul 1946  4 Jan 1949 A 
Peru  22 Jul 1946  11 Nov 1949 A 
Philippines  22 Jul 1946  9 Jul 1948 A 
Poland  22 Jul 1946  6 May 1948 A 
Portugal  22 Jul 1946  13 Feb 1948 A 
Qatar    11 May 1972 A 
Republic of Korea    17 Aug 1949 A 
Romania    8 Jun 1948 A 
Russian Federation  22 Jul 1946  24 Mar 1948 A 
Rwanda    7 Nov 1962 A 
Saint Kitts and Nevis    3 Dec 1984 A 
Saint Lucia    11 Nov 1980 A 
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines    1 Sep 1983 A 
Samoa    16 May 1962 A 
San Marino    12 May 1980 A 
Sao Tome and Principe    23 Mar 1976 A 
Saudi Arabia  22 Jul 1946  26 May 1947 A 
Senegal    31 Oct 1960 A 
Serbia    28 Nov 2000 A 
Seychelles    11 Sep 1979 A 
Sierra Leone    20 Oct 1961 A 
Singapore    25 Feb 1966 A 
Slovakia7    4 Feb 1993 A 
Slovenia    7 May 1992 A 
Solomon Islands    4 Apr 1983 A 
Somalia    26 Jan 1961 A 
South Africa  22 Jul 1946  7 Aug 1947 A 
Spain    28 May 1951 A 
Sri Lanka    7 Jul 1948 A 
Sudan    14 May 1956 A 
Suriname    25 Mar 1976 A 
Swaziland    16 Apr 1973 A 
Sweden  13 Jan 1947  28 Aug 1947 A 
Switzerland  22 Jul 1946  26 Mar 1947 A 
Syrian Arab Republic  22 Jul 1946  18 Dec 1946 A 
Tajikistan    4 May 1992 A 
Thailand  22 Jul 1946  26 Sep 1947 A 
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia    22 Apr 1993 A 
Timor-Leste    27 Sep 2002 A 
Togo    13 May 1960 A 
Tonga    14 Aug 1975 A 
Trinidad and Tobago    3 Jan 1963 A 
Tunisia    14 May 1956 A 
Turkey  22 Jul 1946  2 Jan 1948 A 
Turkmenistan    2 Jul 1992 A 
Tuvalu    7 May 1993 A 
Uganda    7 Mar 1963 A 
Ukraine  22 Jul 1946  3 Apr 1948 A 
United Arab Emirates    30 Mar 1972 A 
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland    22 Jul 1946 s 
United Republic of Tanzania    15 Mar 1962 A 
United States of America11  22 Jul 1946  21 Jun 1948 A 
Uruguay  22 Jul 1946  22 Apr 1949 A 
Uzbekistan    22 May 1992 A 
Vanuatu    7 Mar 1983 A 
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)  22 Jul 1946  7 Jul 1948 A 
Viet Nam12    17 May 1950 A 
Yemen13    6 May 1968 A 
Zambia    2 Feb 1965 s 
Zimbabwe    16 May 1980 A 
 

 

NOTES

1. Accepted for Tanganyika on 15 March 1962 and for Zanzibar on 29 February 1964. See also note 1 under "United Republic of Tanzania" in the "Historical Information" section in the front matter of this volume.

2. Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, First Session, Supplement No. 1, p. 86.

3. T he former Yugoslavia had signed and accepted the Constitution on 22 July 1946 and 19 November 1947, respectively. See also note 1 under "Bosnia and Herzegovina", "Croatia", "former Yugoslavia", "Slovenia", "The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" and "Yugoslavia" in the "Historical Information" section in the front matter of this volume.

4. See note concerning signatures, ratifications, accessions, etc., on behalf of China (note 1 under "China" in the "Historical Information" section in the front matter of this volume).

5. See note 2 under "China" regarding Hong Kong in the "Historical Information" section in the front matter of this volume.

6. See note 3 under "China" regarding Macao in the "Historical Information" section in the front matter of this volume.

7. Czechoslovakia had signed and accepted the Convention on 22 July 1946 and 1 March 1948, respectively. See also note 1 under "Czech Republic" and note 1 under "Slovakia" in the "Historical Information" section in the front matter of this volume.

8. The German Democratic Republic had accepted the Constitution on 8 May 1973. See also note 2 under "Germany" in the "Historical Information" section in the front matter of this volume.

9. See note 1 under "Germany" regarding Berlin (West) in the "Historical Information" section in the front matter of this volume.

10. See note 1 under "New Zealand" regarding Tokelau in the "Historical Information" section in the front matter of this volume.

11. Accepted subject to the provisions of the joint resolution of the Congress of the United States of America approved 14 June 1948 (Public Law 643, 80th Congress), section 4 of which reads as follows: "In adopting this joint resolution the Congress does so with the understanding that, in the absence of any provision in the World Health Organization Constitution for withdrawal from the organization, the United States reserves its right to withdraw from the organization on a one-year notice, provided, however, that the financial obligations of the United States to the organization shall be met in full for the organization's current fiscal year."

"The World Health Assembly adopted unanimously on 2 July 1948 the following resolution: "The Assembly recognized the validity of the ratification by the United States of America and resolved that the Secretary-General of the United Nations be advised of this decision."

12. By a letter dated at Hanoi on 12 July 1976, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Socialist Republic of Viet-Nam notified the Director-General of the World Health Organization that the Democratic Republic of Viet-Nam and the Republic of South Viet-Nam had united to form the Socialist Republic of Viet-Nam, and that the latter would continue to exercise the official membership in the World Health Organization of the Democratic Republic of Viet-Nam and the Republic of South Viet-Nam. The above-mentioned communication from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Socialist Republic of Viet-Nam was brought to the attention of the Member States of the World Health Organization by a circular letter from the Director-General of that Organization dated 30 August 1976. The Thirtieth World Health Assembly took note of the said notification in its resolution WHA 30.13 dated 10 May 1977. The Constitution of the World Health Organization had been accepted on behalf of the Democratic Republic of Viet-Nam on 22 October 1975 and on behalf of the Republic of Viet-Nam (later replaced by the Republic of South Viet-Nam) on 17 May 1950.

13. Democratic Yemen had accepted the Constitution on 6 May 1968. See also note 1 under "Yemen" in the "Historical Information" section in the front matter of this volume.