Pan American Health Organization
63rd Directing Council
Washington, DC
September 28 – October 1, 2026
Agenda Item 3.1
Annual Report of the President of the Executive Committee
Delivered by Director Bethany Kozma
Alternate Head of Delegation, United States of America
AS DELIVERED
We thank the President and Executive Committee members for a thorough report, but we oppose the Executive Committee’s decisions regarding “Non-State Actors in Official Relations with the Pan American Health Organization” and “Human Resources Management in the Pan American Sanitary Bureau.”
On the agenda item titled “Non-State Actors in Official Relations with the Pan American Health Organization” from the 178th session, the United States reiterates its opposition to a few specific organizations that were admitted into official relations with PAHO.
We are not calling into question the merits of the FENSA framework itself. However, we cannot support recognition of three particular organizations whose work and mission are contrary to U.S. policy and interests.
First, the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) advances harmful “gender” ideology and “sexual and reproductive health and rights” an umbrella term that includes rights or obligations related to abortion.
In addition, this organization promotes interventions, including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormone regimens, and surgical alterations for minors, which constitute chemical and surgical mutilation that permanently sterilize youth before they reach developmental maturity.
As President Trump reiterated in his remarks to the UN General Assembly, it is unacceptable that UN bodies and officials spend their time criticizing the United States for protecting our children from transgender mutilation and transgender insanity.
In leading the Geneva Consensus Declaration, the United States has demonstrated its commitment to women’s health, the protection of life at all stages, and the defense of the family as the fundamental unit of society. The United States cannot endorse PAHO working with a non-state actor that promotes gender ideology and advocates for abortion.
We also do not support admitting into official relations with PAHO the Clean Air Institute and UNITE Parliamentarians Network for Global Health (UNITE).
The Clean Air Institute’s mission is in direct opposition to President Trump’s very clear message on the so-called “climate crisis.” The United Nations and other organizations have gotten wildly off track, exaggerating climate change into the world’s greatest threat.
UNITE’s alignment with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) supports an initiative that impinges upon state sovereignty as a soft form of global governance, and we no longer reaffirm them.
In the future, we must keep PAHO partnerships strictly focused on areas of unified consensus rather than divisive ideological mandates or mechanisms of global governance.
This will ensure PAHO remains a strong, effective, and unifying force for health in the Americas.
On the Executive Committee report agenda item titled “Human Resources Management in the Pan American Sanitary Bureau,” the United States raised concerns during the Subcommittee on Program, Budget, and Administration regarding accurately using the word “sex” instead of “gender” throughout this report.
While some changes were made in the Executive Committee version of this report, the final document did not fully address all of these concerns. As a result, we do not support this report being recognized in its current form.
Moving forward, for any and all documents – including the annual HR report – the Bureau must refrain from using diversity, equity, and inclusion language and must use the word “sex” instead of “gender.”
Thank you.
Additional Context on the World Association for Sexual Health
The following additional context supplements the United States’ statement as delivered at the 63rd Directing Council.
The United States is disappointed by the Executive Committee’s decision regarding the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS). This decision was taken by the Executive Committee and was not a decision of all PAHO Member States.
The United States considers WAS a dangerous organization because of its promotion of so-called “gender-affirming care” for children and adolescents. The United States strongly opposes medical interventions on minors that it characterizes as resulting in the sterilization and mutilation of children and does not believe that an organization promoting such practices should be granted official-relations status with PAHO.
Furthermore, the United States emphasizes that this problematic work does not fit within the approved Strategic Plan 2026-2031. So, the United States urges PAHO not to rely on WAS to develop, inform, endorse, or disseminate educational materials, curricula, technical guidance, training materials, or other resources, particularly those intended for children, adolescents, families, health professionals, or educational settings. We further urge PAHO not to incorporate materials or recommendations developed by WAS into PAHO programs, publications, or technical assistance.
The United States opposed the Executive Committee’s decision and believes PAHO’s partnerships with non-State actors should remain focused on areas of broad consensus among Member States rather than advancing divisive policies that conflict with U.S. policy and interests.
Label: Statement
OGA Office(s): Multilateral Affairs, Americas Regional Office