GLN Champions Regional Solidarity and Leadership for Women’s, Children’s, and Adolescents’ Health (WCAH) at WHA78

On the sidelines of the 78th World Health Assembly, the Global Leaders Network for Women’s, Children’s, and Adolescents’ Health (GLN) convened a high-level side event to elevate WCAH as a standing priority on global and regional political agendas. Co-organized with the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH), under the theme: ‘Regional Prioritization of Women’s, Children’s, and Adolescents’ Health’, the event brought together senior leaders from regional organizations, government ministries, and global health institutions to foster cross-regional solidarity and share best practices.

In the face of shrinking fiscal space and reduced development assistance, participants emphasized the urgent need to protect and prioritize WCAH funding and programs. The event spotlighted how regional frameworks from the African Union to ASEAN and PAHO are driving domestic resource mobilization, equity in health access, and rights-based policymaking.

Representatives from the European Union, the Asian Development Bank, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Africa CDC, and the G20, along with Dr. Sami Al-Farsi from the Ministry of Health in Oman, joined the discussion, underscoring the GLN’s expanding global footprint and its model of South-South collaboration. The session also reaffirmed alignment with broader WHA78 commitments, including the newly renewed strategic partnership between the African Union and WHO, which identified reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH) as a core pillar of joint action.

Participants reached consensus on the importance of institutionalizing WCAH on the agendas of key global and regional summits and building momentum ahead of the SDG review in 2030. As the only global South-led political platform focused on WCAH, the GLN continues to mobilize high-level political will and deliver impact through a rights-based, life-course approach.

The Global Leaders Network will carry this momentum into upcoming global and regional platforms for dialogue and decision-making, including the UN General Assembly, G20, and beyond.

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