GLN Focal Points unite to accelerate change in maternal, child, and adolescent health – Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health
GLN Focal Points unite to accelerate change in maternal, child, and adolescent health Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health
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Global Leaders Network Discusses Financing for Sustainable Development Goals
Against the backdrop of an increasingly volatile global landscape where Official Development Assistance (ODA) streams are under threat, the need for increased investments in high-impact interventions to reduce maternal, child and adolescent mortality has never been greater.
Focal points from the Global Leaders Network, including Ministers of Health and other government representatives, held an inaugural meeting on 9 December 2024 to discuss opportunities for securing predictable and sustainable financing to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health – and in particular the reduction of neonatal, maternal and under-five mortality.
Shared Priorities and Funding Mechanism
The discussions emphasized the urgent need for increased investments to boost progress on a number of shared priorities such as:
- Addressing adolescent and teenage pregnancy
- Ensuring equitable access to health services
- Developing localized manufacturing
Discussants recommended the setup of a special pooled funding mechanism for sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health commodities.
“Our leaders have an opportunity to leave a lasting legacy that can impact billions of lives – we dare not miss this opportunity, we dare not fail any woman, child or adolescent,” said Hon. Dr. Pakishe Aaron Motsoaledi, Minister of Health of the Republic of South Africa, in his opening address.
Resolution and Commitments
The 77th World Health Assembly saw 194 countries pass a resolution on accelerating progress to reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality and prioritizing sexual and reproductive health. World Health Organization (WHO) Director General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, cautioned that considerable efforts would be required to reach these goals.
“It won’t just happen. We need policies and investments to advance women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health through high quality, equitable and affordable primary health care. Ultimately these are investments not just in health, but in communities, societies and economies,” he said. “WHO is committed to working with and supporting the Global Leaders Network to improve the health of women, children and adolescents everywhere.”
GLN partners – the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the African Union Commission Division of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), also pledged to support the GLN initiative.
Next Steps and Advocacy
Moving forward, the GLN focal points agreed to provide further details on country-specific priorities – an important step that will help guide policy discussions ahead of the GLN Heads of State meeting scheduled for 2025. This process will also facilitate the consolidation of advocacy messages, ensuring that they are in-line with national priorities, in advance of high-level events such as the G7, the G20, the African Union Summit, which will be crucial platforms to elevate women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health advocacy to the highest political agenda.
Launched in 2023, the GLN is the first and only Southern-led global health diplomacy initiative to support the attainment of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals related to women, children and adolescents. As the network continues to expand, so does our ambition and potential.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
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SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
- Target 3.1: By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births.
- Target 3.2: By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births.
- Target 3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs.
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SDG 5: Gender Equality
- Target 5.6: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences.
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SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
- Target 17.2: Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and policy coherence.
- Target 17.9: Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the Sustainable Development Goals, including through North-South, South-South, and triangular cooperation.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | Target 3.1: By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births. | Maternal mortality ratio |
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | Target 3.2: By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births. | Neonatal mortality rate, under-5 mortality rate |
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | Target 3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs. | Access to sexual and reproductive health-care services |
| SDG 5: Gender Equality | Target 5.6: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences. | Universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights |
| SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals | Target 17.2: Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and policy coherence. | Global macroeconomic stability |
| SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals | Target 17.9: Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the Sustainable Development Goals, including through North-South, South-South, and triangular cooperation. | International support for capacity-building in developing countries |
Analysis
The article highlights the need for increased investments in high-impact interventions to reduce maternal, child, and adolescent mortality. Based on the content of the article, the following SDGs, targets, and indicators can be identified:
1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
The article emphasizes the reduction of maternal, neonatal, and under-five mortality, as well as the need for universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services. This aligns with SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
2. SDG 5: Gender Equality
The article mentions the importance of addressing adolescent and teenage pregnancy and ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights. These issues are related to SDG 5, which focuses on achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.
3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
The article discusses the Global Leaders Network and the need for partnerships to secure financing and support the attainment of the SDGs. This relates to SDG 17, which emphasizes the importance of partnerships for the goals.
The specific targets and indicators identified in the article include:
Target 3.1: By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births.
The article emphasizes the need to reduce maternal mortality, highlighting the importance of investments to improve maternal health outcomes.
Target 3.2: By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births.
The article mentions the goal of reducing neonatal and under-five mortality, emphasizing the need for interventions to prevent these deaths.
Target 3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs.
The article highlights the importance of ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including family planning and reproductive health education.
Target 5.6: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences.
The article mentions the need for universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, aligning with SDG 5’s target on ensuring universal access to these services.
Target 17.2: Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and policy coherence.
The article discusses the importance of policy coordination and coherence to enhance global macroeconomic stability, which is a target under SDG 17.
Target 17.9: Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the Sustainable Development Goals, including through North-South, South-South, and triangular cooperation.
The article emphasizes the need for international support for capacity-building in developing countries to implement the SDGs, aligning with SDG 17’s target on enhancing international support for capacity-building.
Source: pmnch.who.int
