Equity in the Era of COVID-19 and the SDGs: Improving Accountability for the Health and Rights of Vulnerable Women, Children and Adolescents

Official side event to the UN High Level Political Forum for Sustainable Development 

This high-level event took stock of the status and trends in achieving greater health and rights for women, children, and adolescents in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. The disruption caused by the pandemic has halted or reversed progress made in recent decades. In particular, vulnerable women, children, and adolescents bear the brunt of a “shadow pandemic”, due to restricted access to essential sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health services, along with rising violence, household income loss, school closures, mental health issues and other socioeconomic burdens. Consequently, decades of progress in improving health and rights, and building inclusive and prosperous societies, are under threat. Champions, governments and citizens discussed practical solutions to mobilize action, enhance equity and improve accountability in the context of current COVID-19 country response and recovery plans. Updated evidence was presented at the event from the Every Woman Every Child “Protect the Progress” report, with the launch of the advocacy and accountability brief, Rise, Respond, Recover, guided by the UN Secretary-General’s Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (2016-2030).

Speakers include

• H.E. Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy-Secretary-General, United Nations
• H.E. Kersti Kaljulaid, President, Estonia and newly appointed UN Secretary-General's Global Advocate for Every Woman Every Child
• Børge Brende, President, World Economic Forum
• Gabriela Cuevas Barrón, Co-Chair, UHC 2030 Steering Committee
• H.E. Dame Barbara Woodward, Permanent Representative of the UK to the United Nations
• H.E. Kimihiro Ishikane, Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations
• Josiah Tualamali'i, Co-founder, Pacific Youth Leadership and Transformation Council, young Samoan New Zealander

The Rt Hon Helen Clark, Board Chair of PMNCH and former Prime Minister of New Zealand, convened the discussion.

Opening the event, we had a special performance from spoken-word poet Mumbi Macharia.

The event was moderated by Maziko Matemvu, Vice President Young Feminists Network, Malawi and PMNCH Vice Chair, Partner Engagement, Adolescents & Youth Constituency