Global Leaders Unite: Launch of Parliamentary Network of Champions for Women’s, Children’s, and Adolescents’ Health

In a landmark moment for global health and equity, the 151^st Inter Parliamentary Union Assembly in Geneva, witnessed the launch of the Parliamentary Network of Champions - a transformative initiative dedicated to advancing the health, rights, and well-being of women, children, and adolescents everywhere.

The announcement was made by Hon. Thokozile Didiza, Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa, on behalf of an extraordinary coalition of parliamentary leaders.

Supported by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH), the world’s largest alliance for women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health, the Network aims to mobilize legislative power to turn commitments into concrete action. Its mission: to ensure that every woman, every child, and every adolescent not only survives, but thrives.

The Parliamentary Network will:

1. Advance bold, rights-based legislation to secure universal access to quality health services, including sexual and reproductive health;
2. Champion increased, smarter, and more equitable health financing for women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health;
3. Strengthen accountability and collaboration between parliaments and governments, driving results across generations; and
4. Place health equity at the heart of legislative agendas, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In a world facing mounting challenges, this partnership signals a clear message:
political courage and collective action can - and will - shape a healthier, more just future for all.

“The Parliamentary Network is a timely and vital step in ensuring that the voices of women, children, and adolescents are better reflected in our national priorities,” said Hon. Thokozile Didiza, Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa. “Through courage, collaboration, and accountability, we can transform health outcomes and create a legacy of equity and opportunity for generations to come.”

Hon. El Malick Ndiaye, President of the National Assembly of Senegal, underscored the moral and societal imperative of investing in women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health:

“The health of women, children, and adolescents is the first face of human dignity. By coming together today, we affirm that to protect life is to protect the future. No lasting progress is possible if our mothers, daughters, and sons remain excluded from health and hope.” [ "La santé des femmes, des enfants et des adolescents est le premier visage de la dignité humaine. En nous unissant aujourd’hui, nous affirmons que protéger la vie, c’est protéger l’avenir. Aucun progrès durable n’est possible si nos mères, nos filles et nos fils restent en marge de la santé et de l’espérance." ]

IPU Secretary General, Mr. Martin Chungong, expressed the IPU’s strong support for this effort:

"The health of women, children, and adolescents is foundational to development, equality, and the fulfillment of human rights. The IPU is proud to offer a privileged platform for parliamentarians to unite around shared priorities and elevate these critical issues on the global stage."

PMNCH Executive Director, Rajat Khosla, commended this bold step forward:

“This Network embodies leadership with purpose. At a time when the world faces intersecting crises, parliamentarians hold the power to protect the most vulnerable through law, policy, and budgetary action. Together with the IPU, PMNCH stands ready to support this powerful coalition to deliver the promise that every woman, child, and adolescent not only survives — but thrives.”

This Network complements the Global Leaders Network for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (GLN) — the first and only Southern-led global health diplomacy initiative, chaired by H.E. President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa. Comprising sitting Heads of State and Government from the same coalition of nations. Together, the GLN and its new Parliamentary Network unite executive and legislative leadership across continents in an unprecedented alliance - a bold, historic commitment to accelerate progress toward the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and to end preventable maternal, newborn, and child deaths.

In a world facing mounting challenges, this partnership signals a clear message:
Political courage and collective action can—and will—shape a healthier, more just future for all.

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