June 26, 2025
WHO renews partnership with O’Neill Institute that was first established in 2017 and reauthorizes its role as WHO/PAHO Collaborating Center on National and Global Health Law.
The O’Neill Institute at Georgetown Law, a leading health policy think tank, is proud to announce that the World Health Organization (WHO) has re-authorized the O’Neill Institute as the WHO/PAHO Collaborating Center on National and Global Health Law through 2029. This renewed designation — first granted in 2017 — reaffirms the O’Neill Institute’s leadership in shaping legal and policy frameworks that protect and advance health across the world.
As the world’s only designated Collaborating Center on National and Global Health Law, the O’Neill Institute is responsible for delivering technical support for implementing the WHO and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)’s mandated work and program objectives, as well as strengthening health capacity in the United States.
“We are deeply honored by the enduring trust and confidence of the WHO, PAHO, and Dr. Tedros,” said Professor Lawrence O. Gostin, co-faculty director of the O’Neill Institute and founding O’Neill chair in global health law. “Our decades-long partnership reflects a shared belief that law is a powerful tool for securing and advancing health and equity.”
“At a time when public health is under relentless threat domestically and internationally, reaffirming this partnership with WHO and PAHO sends a powerful message: fostering international collaboration is essential for strengthening global health security and ensuring health equity for all,” said said Professor Michele Bratcher Goodwin, co-faculty director of the O’Neill Institute and Linda D. & Timothy J. O’Neill Professor of Constitutional Law and Global Health Policy.
Through this additional four-year appointment, the O’Neill Institute will collaborate with the WHO and PAHO on issues including, but not limited to, health emergency preparedness, strengthening of health systems, development and implementation of legal and regulatory frameworks for noncommunicable disease (NCD) prevention and control, health and human rights, and health governance.
“It has been a privilege to collaborate with WHO and PAHO to improve health outcomes and uphold human rights. We are particularly proud of our collaborations working to improve food environments, prevent non-communicable diseases, improve access to quality reproductive health care, and create more just and equitable health systems,” added Professor Oscar A. Cabrera, director of the Center for Health and Human Rights and director of the Global Center for Legal Innovation on Food Environments. “Building on the foundation laid since our first designation in 2017, we look forward to bringing the full breadth of our legal and policy expertise to this renewed partnership.”
The WHO Collaborating Center will be led by Professors Gostin and Cabrera. Learn about the WHO Collaborating Center.