World AMR Awareness Week (WAAW) is a global initiative that convenes stakeholders across the One Health spectrum to address the escalating threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Organized annually from 18 to 24 November by the Quadripartite - comprising the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) -, WAAW underscores the importance of coordinated, multisectoral action to safeguard human, animal, and environmental health.

The Week aims to promote the adoption of best practices among policymakers, health-care professionals, environmentalists, animal health professionals, veterinarians, farmers, civil society, the media, youth, and the broader public, thereby contributing to the prevention of the emergence and spread of drug-resistant pathogens.

The theme for WAAW 2025, “Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future,” reflects the urgency of immediate and sustained action against AMR, a growing global threat that is already affecting our health, food systems, environment and economies. Despite the growing prevalence of drug-resistant infections, awareness, investment, and implementation of effective measures remain insufficient.

Building on the outcomes of the 2024 United Nations General Assembly High-level Meeting on AMR, WAAW calls upon all stakeholders to translate political commitments into concrete, measurable interventions. Priorities include strengthening surveillance, ensuring equitable access to quality medicines and diagnostics, fostering innovation, promoting responsible antimicrobial use, and building resilient systems supported by sustained governance and resource allocation.

AMR action represents a strategic investment in global health, food security, and sustainable development. Every stakeholder, whether shaping policy, delivering care, managing animal or environmental health, or raising awareness, has a critical role to play. “Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future” is a shared responsibility. By acting collectively, we can preserve the effectiveness of antimicrobials and secure a healthier, sustainable future for generations to come.

Learn more about WAAW 2025 here.