Statement by the Director-General, Ms. Jan Beagle
25 September 2025
Madame President,
Excellencies,
The International Development Law Organization (IDLO) welcomes the priority being given by Member States to the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases, and the promotion of mental health and well-being.
I would like to share three reasons why strengthening the rule of law is critical in this context.
First, laws are not abstract – they shape the environments in which people live, work, and make daily choices.
They can protect people from harmful products, ensure access to healthier food, promote physical activity, and guarantee essential health services.
For more than fifteen years, IDLO has supported countries in developing legal and regulatory frameworks to advance health and well-being.
Where laws are clear, fair, and evidence-based, they become powerful tools of prevention and drivers of lasting change.
Second, policies are stronger when people help to shape them.
Civil society organizations and communities bring lived experience, amplify marginalized voices, and hold governments accountable.
By building their capacity and ensuring meaningful participation, we can help design health policies that are fair, more trusted, and more effective.
Third, applying a rule of law lens to preventing and managing NCDs puts people and their rights at the centre of policy and action.
It enables governments to address inequalities and other non-medical factors that contribute to poor health, and design holistic responses that ensure that no one is left behind.
IDLO stands ready to work with Member States and all partners to implement the Political Declaration, including by leveraging the power of the law to accelerate progress on NCD prevention and control.