Achievements and highlights 2022

In January, PMNCH focused on the importance of providing sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (SRMNCAH) and nutrition services in humanitarian and fragile settings, which is a vital part of the UN Secretary General’s Global Strategy on Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (2016-2030). PMNCH colleagues co-authored an article in The BMJ on enhancing quality midwifery care. PMNCH also continued its close collaboration with the BRANCH Consortium to improve evidence and guidance for effective action on women’s and children’s health in conflict settings. 

PMNCH championed the role of African leaders in advancing the health and rights of women and girls, reducing gender inequality and tackling domestic violence. PMNCH worked with the African Leaders Malaria Alliance and Amref Health Africa to strengthen political commitments in these areas.

PMNCH stood in solidarity with WCA affected by the war in Ukraine and humanitarian crises in Afghanistan and throughout the world, calling for immediate funding for emergency assistance. PMNCH also advocated for an end to discrimination against adolescent girls affected by disabilities during a CSW66 side event. PMNCH organized this event together with UK’s FCDO, USAID, the International Disability and Development Consortium and the Government of Bangladesh.

PMNCH, as a long-standing partner of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), played an active role in the 144th IPU Assembly. PMNCH contributed with a keynote presentation on WCA’s lived experiences during the Forum of Women Parliamentarians, as well as the Advisory Group on Health. The PMNCH delegation also held bilateral meetings with speakers and parliamentarians from more than 26 countries on prioritizing WCAH and ensuring commitments made are implemented.

PMNCH hosted an ECOSOC side event with WHO, the World Food Programme and other UN agencies, including UN Women, UNAIDS, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF and the UN Major Group for Children and Youth, to make the case for greater commitment to adolescents and the integration of AWB programming into national and subnational development plans.

PMNCH Board Chair Helen Clark and Kersti Kaljulaid, the UN Secretary General’s Global Advocate for Every Women Every Child and Former President of Estonia, co-authored a commentary in The BMJ, about the vulnerability of WCA in conflict settings and the importance of protecting health workers trying to address their needs. PMNCH was recognized for the second year in a row by Global Health 50/50 as a “very strong” global health organization committed to gender equality. 

The fourth edition of PMNCH’s Lives in the Balance e-summit series on COVID-19, organized with the CORE Group, called for the delivery of commitments in humanitarian and fragile settings. Members of the PMNCH Accountability Working Group supported the event with a commentary offering potential solutions for sustaining and building resilient healthcare systems in conflict settings.

PMNCH, through its Board Chair Helen Clark, issued a statement on the repeal of Roe vs. Wade and called for the protection of women’s and girls’ SRHR. Helen Clark warned that the effect of the repeal would extend well beyond US borders with women in poor and marginalized communities likely to be the hardest hit.

PMNCH continued to engage young people in leadership positions, welcoming our new Board Vice Chair under 30, Aditi Sivakumar. Consistent with PMNCH’s strategy of meaningful adolescent and youth engagement, Aditi joins other young leaders–comprising one-quarter of all PMNCH leadership positions–in leading PMNCH’s advocacy.

PMNCH, together with UHC2030, Women in Global Health and Global Health 50/50, held a side event with high profile leaders at the UN High-Level Political Forum on the importance of women’s political leadership in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including improving gender equity and SRHR in universal health coverage (UHC) outcomes.

The PMNCH 11th Annual Accountability Breakfast co-hosted by Every Woman, Every Child−LAC, on the side of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, conflict and the climate crisis on the health and well-being of WCA across the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region. For this event a dedicated report, No time to lose: Health challenges for adolescents in Latin America and the Caribbean, was issued, making an urgent call to policy makers to take action to improve the living conditions and prospects for adolescents living in LAC.

In addition, Helen Clark moderated an event of the newly established UNGA Platform of Women Leaders, hosted by the President of the UNGA and UN Women. Helen Clark also spoke at several other strategic events, such a session on reproductive and maternal health organized by the Clinton Health Initiative, and a meeting of coalitions for women’s and girls’ health hosted by the World Economic Forum.

PMNCH called on participants at the 145th Assembly of the IPU to take urgent and targeted action to ensure victims of violence, especially women and girls, have access to essential health services, including mental health support.