Report on the role of Parliamentarians on improving and promoting maternal, newborn, child and adolescents’ health in Zambia

Following the invitation from the Speaker of the Zambia Parliament, Honorable Madam Nelly Mutti to the WHO-based Partnership for Maternal Newborn, Child and Adolescents Health (PMNCH), an invitation was extended to the Population Council’s Zambia office to convene and facilitate a seminar for parliamentarians on the theme: The role of parliamentarians on improving and promoting maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition in Zambia. Population Council sought the collaboration and support of the WHO Country Office. In developing content for its presentations, the Council, in addition to evidence generated from its research, drew upon national, global and PMNCH’s advocacy literature. This including synthesis of data emanating from research in Zambia, the region and beyond, secondary analysis of Zambia’s Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS) and census data, to package appropriate literature for informing policy, including that derived from policy documents and regional commitments from the Africa Union, International Union of Parliamentarians (IUP) and UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The PMNCH’s global initiative on the 1.8 billion adolescents was also highlighted. Presentations were subsequently shared with an audience of more than one hundred members of parliament, which included the various parliamentary committees, and their respective Chairs.