Global and country leaders commit funding towards improving health and rights for 250 million women, children and youth

At a Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents (GFF) event, governments and philanthropies have committed $445 million USD in urgent funding to strengthen primary healthcare and improve the health and rights of women and children. These new investments from governments and philanthropies are a major contribution towards the GFF’s ‘Deliver the Future’ campaign to secure access to essential health services for 250 million women, children and adolescents in the hardest to reach communities.

Today’s event at the World Health Summit marked the first pledging opportunity in the ‘Deliver the Future’ campaign, which was launched just four months ago and is being co-hosted by Germany, the Netherlands, Côte d’Ivoire and the World Bank.

Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) and the United States have joined the GFF as new investors, while existing donors including the Netherlands, UK, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Germany have committed new funding to the partnership, underscoring the importance of the GFF to advancing the health and rights of women and youth. This funding adds to Japan’s new contribution for 2023 and builds on Canada’s existing commitments through 2025. Further investment towards the campaign target is expected in the months ahead.

Because of the GFF’s catalytic financing, the $800m target for the ‘Deliver the Future’ campaign can unlock as much as $20.5 billion financing for health, including $8 billion of concessional World Bank financing. GFF grants act as an incentive to align domestic resources for health, development aid, private-sector financing, and funding from global health organizations to fund the country-led prioritized health plan.

Country commitments to improving health

Country leadership is critical to this agenda. Political and financial commitments made today include:

• Côte d'Ivoire is committed to reducing maternal mortality by 18% by 2025 and increasing the number of primary healthcare centers by nearly 40%. 

• Ethiopia has initiated a compact with donors aimed at gradually shifting the financing responsibility for contraceptive commodities to the government. The government will provide financing of 25%, 50%, and 85% of partner contributions in the first, second, and third years, respectively – contributing a total of $11.3 million USD, while partners will raise $24.83 million USD. This is in addition to Ethiopia’s regular budget allocation.

• Liberia is committed to increasing its budget for women, children, adolescent health by 5% annually, and to reducing maternal mortality by a further 35% by 2030. All districts in the country must now have at least one Comprehensive Health Center equipped with lifesaving equipment, medicines and supplies, including contraceptives. The government is also supporting primary healthcare providers to give family planning, counselling and sexual and reproductive health and rights information to community members.  

• Malawi is committed to an annual increase of 10% in domestic resources for reproductive, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition.

A proven model for health

Currently working with 36 partner countries, the GFF supports countries to fight poverty and inequity by strengthening health systems and improving access to health for women and youth. The GFF works with countries to build up capacities, align funding behind a prioritized health plan, and unlock policies, financing, and systems that improve health. Countries supported by the GFF partnership show what’s possible and give hope for further progress that is urgently needed.

New results show that since GFF partner countries began implementation of their investment cases:

• More than 630 million women and adolescents used modern contraceptives

• More than 130 million women received safe delivery care and 8 partner countries increased coverage of services in the hardest to reach communities to reduce equity gaps

• More than 100 million women were reached with 4 or more antenatal care visits and 5 partner countries increased coverage of services in the hardest to reach communities to reduce equity gaps

A critical moment for investment

With World Bank analysis showing that more than 40 governments will spend less on health between now and 2027 than they did before COVID-19, today’s commitments come at a critical time as already under-resourced health systems face further strain. More than 60 countries are off-track in meeting the global goals for maternal, newborn, and stillborn mortality reduction, and 4.5 billion people are not fully covered by essential health services. Shocks – including climate change – are adding to the burden.

A fully funded GFF will deepen and expand its impact through 2023-2025. The funding will provide second-round financing for 27 partner countries, support up to seven additional countries by 2025 (focusing on the highest burden and largest equity gaps) and embark on partnerships with key sectors in addition to health — to advance equity, such as through education, governance and social protection programs.

This piece was originally published by Global Financing Facility.