The World Health Organization Legitimacy in the Global Health Governance and the COVID-19 Pandemic

ADIBA NURUL IZZAH, Drs. Muhadi Sugiono, MA

2023 | Skripsi | S1 ILMU HUBUNGAN INTERNASIONAL

The COVID-19 pandemic had increased the stakes of global health and consequently the World Health Organization (WHO). This thesis proposed that the WHO is currently in a crisis of legitimacy and power, thus forced to adapt to regain its legitimacy or face disempowerment. Seeing the scale and severity of COVID-19, the WHO would ideally have more legitimacy and support from its Member States and other actors. Yet, the general public had largely scrutinized the WHO and the United States Trump Administration had sought to withdraw participation altogether. As a response, the WHO does not stay still, but rather it seeks legitimation through recalibration and material inducement. This research plans to explore the challenges and delegitimations faced by the WHO as well as its legitimation strategies to regain its position in global health using case study analysis and qualitative study.

The COVID-19 pandemic had increased the stakes of global health and consequently the World Health Organization (WHO). This thesis proposed that the WHO is currently in a crisis of legitimacy and power, thus forced to adapt to regain its legitimacy or face disempowerment. Seeing the scale and severity of COVID-19, the WHO would ideally have more legitimacy and support from its Member States and other actors. Yet, the general public had largely scrutinized the WHO and the United States Trump Administration had sought to withdraw participation altogether. As a response, the WHO does not stay still, but rather it seeks legitimation through recalibration and material inducement. This research plans to explore the challenges and delegitimations faced by the WHO as well as its legitimation strategies to regain its position in global health using case study analysis and qualitative study.

Kata Kunci : World Health Organization, COVID-19 Pandemic, Legitimacy, Global Health Governance