Publishing Policy Coordination Group
10 The Publishing Policy Coordination Group (PPCG) was established in 2008, to follow up on publications policy issues discussed at the 122nd Session of the Executive Board (document EB122/20).
20 The mandate of the PPCG is to advise the Director-General on publishing policy matters related to publications issued by WHO in print, electronic, web and audiovisual formats. Its terms of reference are:
- to advise on the mission, core values, budgeting and financing of WHO’s publishing activities, the development of content to fill identified gaps in publishing, the detailed categorization of publications, and the harmonization and standardization of publishing procedures and adoption of standardized publishing technologies across the Organization;
- to propose mechanisms for ensuring that WHO’s published materials are made available and accessible in the Organization’s official languages, as well as in local languages, and requirements for the different categories of publications, in consultation with the Guidelines Review Committee;
- to develop a strategy to set translation priorities for publications, in consultation with Member States;
- to provide guidance on WHO’s dissemination practices, publishing training for WHO staff, and tools to monitor access to and use of WHO’s publications.
Regional publications committees
30 The regional publications committees advise the regional directors on issues of regional publishing policy and practice. They also, where appropriate, review and approve proposals for planned publications, propose quality standards (and tools for achieving them), and propose actions to support multilingualism and wide access to information.
Guidelines Review Committee
40 The Guidelines Review Committee (GRC) was established in 2007 to develop and implement procedures that ensure that WHO guidelines are developed in ways consistent with internationally accepted best practices, especially with respect to the appropriate use of evidence (see Information Note 16/2007).
50 The terms of reference of the GRC are:
- to define appropriate and standardized processes and tools related to guideline development, including standardized formats and templates for different types of guidelines;
- to ensure that all guidelines comply with the WHO handbook for guideline development by providing advice and guidance throughout the planning and content development process, formalized in the planning clearance and executive clearance of WHO guidelines (see section VIII.1.4);
- to ensure that WHO staff members responsible for developing guidelines have appropriate opportunities to increase their knowledge of – and ability to apply – current methods in guideline development, in collaboration with the Global Learning and Development Committee;
- to collaborate with other organizations and international networks that have methodological expertise and skills in relation to guideline development, adaptation and implementation.
