PMNCH history

PMNCH - #PartnersForChange

PMNCH was launched in September 2005 when 80 organizations belonging to the Partnership for Safe Motherhood and Newborn Health, the Healthy Newborn Partnership and the Child Survival Partnership joined forces. By uniting and working as one partnership they could do more to accelerate action by partners and countries to achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 (reduce child mortality) and 5 (improve maternal health).

The vision and goals of the new Partnership—The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH) —were outlined in "The Delhi Declaration" – a landmark statement developed by participants of "Lives in the Balance: The Partnership Meeting for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health", held in New Delhi, India, 7-9 April 2005.

In 2015, the Every Woman Every Child Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health was launched to reflect the shift from the MDGs to the Sustainable Development Goals.  The updated Global Strategy, which has guided PMNCH’s work since 2016, takes a more holistic view of health, moving beyond survival to well-being and social transformation.

It has been more than twenty years since PMNCH was launched, and given its expansion to include adolescents, it is now referred to as PMNCH for women's, children's, and adolescents' health. 

PMNCH 2021-2025 Strategy

Current Leadership

Rajat Khosla

Executive Director

Learn more
Rt. Hon. Helen Clark

PMNCH Board Chair

Learn more

Leadership Legacy

Former Directors

Helga Fogstad

Former PMNCH ED | 2016 - 2023

Robin Gorna

Former PMNCH ED | 2015 - 2016

Carole Presern

Former PMNCH ED | 2011 - 2015

Flavia Bustreo, Fondation Botnar

Former PMNCH ED | 2009 - 2011

Francisco Songane

Former PMNCH, ED | 2006-2009

Former board chairs

Michelle Bachelet

Former PMNCH Board Chair

Graça Machel

Former PMNCH Board Chair

Julio Frenk

Former PMNCH Board Chair

Julian Sweitzer

Former PMNCH Board Chair

Joy Phumaphi

Former PMNCH Board Chair

Kul Gautam

Former PMNCH Board Chair