A new report launched by Every Woman Every Child (EWEC) alongside the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development in New York on July 18 underscores that, progress for women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health—while tremendous—remains partial and fragile. “Progress in Partnership”—the first progress report on the EWEC Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health – provides a comprehensive snapshot of women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health and wellbeing across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting linkages across sectors and the power of partnership to deliver on a sustainable, inclusive and integrated development agenda.
Drawing on the latest available country data on the 60 indicators of the EWEC Global Strategy, 34 of which come directly from the SDGs and an additional 26 taken from existing indexes and processes, “Progress in Partnership” leverages the WHO’s Global Health Observatory to showcase country progress. Additionally, the report highlights self-reported progress from 72% of our 134 non-governmental commitments to the EWEC Global Strategy, who were included in this 2015-2016 reporting cycle. In total, the report notes that 215 commitments by 212 commitment makers have been made to the EWEC Global Strategy since its launch in 2015, totaling nearly $30 billion and reaching an estimated 273 million women, children and adolescents with life-saving and life-changing services and supplies. A summary of progress made against each of the 96 commitments made by non-government stakeholders is also available on their individual commitment pages on the EWEC website here.
Just more than one year into the implementation of the SDGs and the EWEC Global Strategy, “Progress in Partnership” helps to set a baseline and highlights critical issues in a time of complex development challenges, including historic conflict, humanitarian crisis and migration, as well as shifting political agendas. It presents that such challenges require collective, cross-sectoral efforts, ambition, innovation and a keen focus on equity to ensure access to quality care, services and rights in all settings.
Launched alongside the HLPF, the session served to elevate discussions beyond the Forum’s thematic and national reviews to highlight interlinkages across the SDGs – including SDGs 1, 2, 3, 5 and 17, which were being reviewed. Throughout the event, speakers noted the importance of EWEC as a multi-stakeholder partnership to facilitate cross-sectoral action in support of government efforts to deliver on the SDGs.
In written remarks delivered on her behalf, the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Ms. Amina Mohammed, noted:
“We have the tools and the knowledge to take on persistent challenges and create a better, more just and prosperous future for all. But moving from resolve to universal success will require collaboration, smart investments, innovation and ambition,” she said, adding that women, children and adolescents—particularly girls—are the change makers who will drive the Sustainable Development Goals forward and transform not only their communities but our world.”
Other speakers at the event included:
- Mr. Michel Sidibé, Executive Director, UNAIDS, as Chair of the H6
- Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization, on behalf of the H6
- H.E. Dr. Jaime Burrows, Vice-Minister of Public Health, Government of Chile
- H.E. Mr. Saber Chowdhury, MP, President, IPU & member of the HLSG for EWEC
- Ms. Bayan Sa’adeh, a young leader from Jordan
- Mr. Kul Gautam, Co-Chair, Independent Accountability Panel for EWEC
- Ms. Helga Fogstad, Executive Director, PMNCH, who moderated the panel discussion
“Progress in Partnership” was developed by the Partnership for Maternal Newborn and Child Health, with guidance from the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General and technical contributions from the H6 partners (UNAIDS, UNICEF, UNFPA, UN Women, the World Bank and WHO) and in close collaboration with other partners.
This post originally appeared on the Every Woman Every Child website.