UN launches strategy for health of women, children and adolescents

Baku, September 28, AZERTAC The UN has launched an ambitious public-private strategy to end preventable deaths of women, children and adolescents. UN launched an initial commitment of $25 billion for the next five years to provide life-saving treatments, from immunisations to perinatal care, according to Xinhua news agency. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced over $25 billion in initial commitments spanning five years to help end preventable deaths of women, children and adolescents, and ensure their health and well-being. Heads of State and Government, international organizations, the private sector, foundations, civil society, research and academic institutions, and other key partners joined the event during the UN Summit for the adoption of the sustainable development agenda to pledge their support to the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health. With ambitious yet achievable targets and fully aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, the Global Strategy offers a roadmap to end all preventable deaths of women, children and adolescents, and ensure that they not only survive, but also thrive and transform the world. The commitments announced are expected to grow significantly in the coming years, and include new policies and groundbreaking partnerships from 40 countries and over 100 international organizations, philanthropic foundations, UN agencies, civil society and the private sector. Pledges include contributions from the United States ($3.3 billion), Canada ($2.6 billion), Sweden ($2.5 billion), Germany ($1.3 billion), Norway ($420 million), Netherlands ($326 million) and Korea ($300 million) among other donor countries, but do not reflect substantial domestic resources already committed to this agenda. The amount pledged so far also includes an estimated $6 billion of in-kind contributions, as well as commitments to the Global Financing Facility in support of Every Woman Every Child, launched during the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, in Addis Ababa in July. The global strategy for women's, children's and adolescents' health includes new policies and partnership from 40 countries and more than 100 international organisations, philanthropic foundations, UN agencies, civil society and the private sector. "The strategy, which I am proud to launch today, will help to build resilient and healthy societies," said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. "We have shown that our partnership can yield concrete results," Ban said. "I, and the entire UN system, remain dedicated to saving and improving the lives of the most vulnerable amongst us." Earlier this year, Ban said remarkable progress had already been made on preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission, increasing availability of oral rehydration therapy for treating infant diarrhea, exclusive breastfeeding and in post-natal care for women, as well as increasing professional maternity care, family planning, childhood vaccinations, and prenatal care. Saturday's announcement came after adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by world leaders on Friday, comprising 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that aim to wipe out extreme poverty, fight inequality and tackle climate change over the next 15 years.