.png?sfvrsn=6d0e27cd_1 "Partnership for Change - v7 (1)")
Dear Colleagues and Partners,
As we approach the start of September, it's time to reflect developments shaping our collective mission.
The recent declaration of famine in Gaza - where women and children bear the heaviest burden - stands as a grave testimony to the fragility of life amid conflict. It is also a stark reminder: we must intensify our resolve to safeguard the health, dignity, and rights of women, children, and adolescents in every corner of the world. Read a statement from the PMNCH Chair on this issue here.
In August, PMNCH continued to advance our work on several critical fronts. In time for the International Youth Day, we spotlighted the voices and lived realities of youth through the What Young People Want survey, the largest global adolescent well-being survey ever conducted, with over 1.5 million respondents. Education, safety, health, and nutrition surfaced as key global priorities, guiding our planning and advocacy efforts going forward.
Simultaneously, the CAAP (Campaign for Action Accountability Plan) framework gained momentum discussing strategies for navigating mounting resistance to sexual and reproductive health and rights during the 5th peer learning exchange. Additionally, Senegal launched the CAAP initiative, while CAAP partners in Malawi organized cross political party an advocacy meeting to incite WCAH prioritization among all different interest groups.
At TICAD in Yokohama, President Cyril Ramaphosa – chair of the Global Leaders Network (GLN) - powerfully reaffirmed the moral imperative to end preventable deaths of women, children, and adolescents. He emphasized placing WCAH at the center of universal health coverage, increasing investment, and safeguarding sexual and reproductive health rights amid global uncertainty.
Finally, at the WHO AFRO Regional Committee meeting, member states reaffirmed their commitment to WCAH, calling for strengthened health governance, increased financing, strengthened health workforce, commodities, infrastructure and tracking capacity. GLN member states Senegal, Kenya and PMNCH called for strengthened accountability for WCAH leveraging regional institutions.
Looking Ahead: A Busy September Ahead
As we move into September, PMNCH will channel this momentum into meaningful dialogue and strategic action:
• Two major conversations on health financing, designed to elevate WCAH beyond rhetoric and into sustained funding commitments.
• Preparations for the UN General Assembly and the high-level meeting on non-communicable diseases, ensuring the visibility and prioritization of women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health at the highest diplomatic tables.
Let us carry forward the urgency found in Gaza’s crisis, the insight from youth voices, the resolve of advocacy networks and the conviction of political leadership. Together, we step into September with purpose, unity, and a renewed commitment to accountability, equity, and action.
In partnership and solidarity,
Rajat Khosla
Executive Director, PMNCH