PMNCH NGO Constituency Statement on the Global Leaders Network on Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health

On the margins of the 78th United Nations General Assembly, His Excellency the President of South Africa Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa launched the Global Leaders Network on Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health, also known as the GLN. The Network aims to build a collaboration between several sitting Heads of State and Government to champion for accelerated action towards the Sustainable Development Goals for women’s, children’s and adolescents' health.

The GLN elevates advocacy to the highest political level, underscoring the urgent need to maintain political attention on women’s, children’s and adolescents' health. With progress stagnating due to the threats of climate change, epidemics, conflicts, anti-rights forces and waning financing, as civil society we welcome this critical intervention.

For too long, we have been advocating for enhanced and sustained political will behind sexual and reproductive rights, women's, children's and adolescents' health. The attention and action of the Heads of State is critical because the health sector alone cannot address all the socioeconomic drivers of poor health outcomes in these vulnerable groups. An effective response requires accelerated action across many sectors. We firmly believe that the convening power of Heads of State and Government holds the great potential of harnessing the crucial multisectoral response that is needed, globally.

We call on Heads of State and Government all over the world to act on women's, children's and adolescents' health by joining hands with H.E. President Ramaphosa, and Her Excellency the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, who has also joined this timely initiative.

We urge the Heads of State and Government to leave a lasting legacy of health security for women, children and adolescents.  By taking action now, they can impact billions of lives and make a significant difference in the global health landscape.

As Civil Society we look forward to President Ramaphosa’s event on the margins of the 79^th United General Assembly, where we will have yet another opportunity push women’s children’s and adolescents’ health to the forefront of the political agenda and end preventable maternal, newborn and child deaths. We urge all Heads of State and Governments to join us in this crucial mission.