PMNCH

Join PMNCH at the International Maternal and Newborn Health Conference (IMNCH) as we convene partners and leaders to accelerate progress for women’s, newborns’ and children’s health. Across satellite sessions, roundtables and partner meetings, discussions will focus on political leadership, collective advocacy and innovative financing to drive impact across the full continuum of care. 🔹 24 March | Extreme Heat & MNH Exploring innovative financing to address climate impacts and strengthen climate-resilient health systems. Learn more here: high-horizons.eu/high-horizons-… 🔹 24 March | Stillbirths in Africa Launch of the first regional report, highlighting urgent action to address nearly half of global stillbirths occurring in Africa. Learn more here: imnhc2026.dryfta.com/program-schedu… 🔹 25 March | Respectful Care Roundtables Advancing accountability and quality of care through dialogue grounded in real-world experiences. Learn more here: imnhc2026.dryfta.com/program-schedu… 🔹 23 March | United Advocacy WG (UAWG) Aligning partners to strengthen coordinated advocacy across MNCH, from EWENE to Child Survival Action. Register here: forms.microsoft.com/pages/response… With less than five years to 2030, coordinated action and sustained commitment are critical to deliver for women, newborns and families worldwide. #IMNCH2026 #WCAH #MNCH #UHC #GlobalHealth

Please join us in welcoming Anna af Ugglas as the new PMNCH Board Member representing the Health-Care Professionals, Academic, and Research Institutions (HCPARI) Constituency. Anna will also serve as HCPARI Constituency Co-Convenor, supporting collaboration across health professionals, academic and research partners within PMNCH. Anna brings extensive experience spanning clinical practice, education, policy and strategy. Her career includes senior roles with UNFPA, where she supported the development and strengthening of midwifery systems, as well as over seven years with Laerdal in Norway advancing midwifery education globally. She now serves as Chief Executive of the @world_midwives, where she continues to champion the profession and support midwives’ associations worldwide. We look forward to Anna’s leadership as PMNCH continues to strengthen partnerships and drive collective action for the health, rights and well-being of women, children and adolescents worldwide.

A new global report by the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation highlights a worrying reality: progress on child survival is slowing at a critical moment. Since 2015, the pace of reduction in child mortality has declined by more than 60%. In 2024, an estimated 4.9 million children died before their fifth birthday, nearly half of them newborns. The causes are well understood. Preterm birth remains the leading cause of death among newborns and a major contributor to under-five mortality. The path forward is clear. What is needed now is urgency, sustained investment, and stronger health systems to deliver these solutions at scale. Read the report: data.unicef.org/resources/leve… #ChildHealth #WCAH #GlobalHealth #UHC #SDGs

Great pleasure to be in Nairobi for a joint ⁦@GLN_Community⁩ and ⁦@PMNCH⁩ #CAAPs to discuss progress and obstacles in advancing the #WCAH and #SRHR agenda. Bringing together the highest levels of government advocacy to grassroots to champion #WCAH and #SRHR everywhere

What should the future of sexual and reproductive health and rights look like for the next generation? The session will bring together young advocates and leaders working on SRHR to share insights on emerging priorities and help inform upcoming global dialogues. Their perspectives will be critical to ensuring that future policies and investments respond to the realities, needs, and leadership of young people around the world. Young people aged 15–30 engaged in SRHR can apply to be considered: 🔗 bit.ly/4b15zZT #SRHR #HealthForAll #HopefulFutures @WHO, @SpeakUpAfrica1, @HRPresearch, @ibp_network, @IYAFP, @youngandalivetz, @Hub_YIELD

What if the difference between being heard and being ignored is how the story is told? Health data on women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health is powerful. Yet too often it gets lost in a sea of statistics. This session is about changing that. Join PMNCH and Simon Hall (University of Cambridge professor on Storytelling and former BBC Correspondent) for an interactive session on how to turn complex datasets into clear, compelling narratives that resonate with media, policymakers, and the public. 📅 31 March | 2 PM CET 🌍 Open to all PMNCH partners 👉 Register here: pmnch.who.int/news-and-event…

Please join us in welcoming Fadekemi (Kemi) Akinfaderin, Lead Global Advocacy for Change at @Fos_Feminista, as the new PMNCH Board Member representing the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) Constituency. Kemi will also be acting as NGO Constituency Co-Convenor. A feminist thought leader and advocate for sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice, Kemi brings more than 20 years of experience working alongside women’s rights organizations and feminist movements across Africa and globally. We look forward to Kemi’s leadership and collaboration as PMNCH continues to advance collective action and advocacy for the health, rights and well-being of women, children and adolescents.

The future of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) is being shaped by major global shifts — from AI and digital technologies to climate change and humanitarian crises. But one voice must remain central to these conversations: young people. On 19 March, youth leaders will join a closed virtual consultation to share perspectives on emerging #SRHR priorities — including AI & digital technologies, climate change, humanitarian contexts, and the future of SRHR. Young people aged 15–30 engaged in SRHR can apply to be considered: 🔗 bit.ly/4b15zZT #SRHR #HealthForAll #HopefulFutures @WHO @SpeakUpAfrica1 @HRPresearch @ibp_network @IYAFP @youngandalivetz @Hub_YIELD

Over the past decades, the world has made significant strides for women and girls. Maternal mortality has declined, access to education has expanded, and global commitments to gender equality have strengthened. Yet progress is not guaranteed. Shifting political priorities, shrinking development assistance and renewed debates around reproductive rights are placing increasing pressure on the systems that safeguard women’s health and wellbeing. As Helen Clark and Rajat Khosla emphasize, advancing gender equality requires strong institutions, sustained investment and accountable leadership. Protecting hard-won gains today will determine whether future generations of women and girls can fully realize their rights and opportunities. 🔗 Read the full Op-Ed: globalpolicyjournal.com/blog/07/03/202… #GenderEquality #WCAH #SRHR #GlobalHealth

What if the difference between being heard and being ignored is how the story is told? Health data on women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health is powerful. Yet too often it gets lost in a sea of statistics. This session is about changing that. Join PMNCH and Simon Hall (University of Cambridge professor on Storytelling and former BBC Correspondent) for an interactive session on how to turn complex datasets into clear, compelling narratives that resonate with media, policymakers, and the public. This is not a passive webinar. It is a practical training designed to help PMNCH partners translate evidence into stories that inform, persuade, and inspire action. 📅 31 March | 2 PM CET 🌍 Open to all PMNCH partners 👉 Register here: pmnch.who.int/news-and-event…

📣 Last call: PMNCH Board Chair nomination PMNCH is seeking nominations for its next Board Chair, with the new term beginning in November 2026 for three years (renewable once). Previous Chairs have included Heads of State and globally recognized leaders committed to advancing women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health. This is a unique opportunity for a global leader to help guide PMNCH’s strategic direction and support collective efforts to drive transformative change in policies, financing and services for WCAH and SRHR. 🕛 Deadline: 10 March 2026 (midnight CET) 👉 Apply here: pmnch.who.int/news-and-event…

📣 Defending gender equality and addressing global power imbalances. In commemoration of international women’s day the W7 have issued a declaration calling for a French G7 pushback the growing backlash against the rights of women, girls and LGBTQIA+ communities, increased civil society engagement and for continued resourcing of the development agenda. The declaration urges governments to strengthen support for civil society, particularly feminist organizations, increase financing for gender equality, protect civic space and mobilize public and private actors to defend human rights. 🔗 Read the declaration: pmnch.who.int/news-and-event… #IWD #InternationalWomensDay

More than a century after the first International Women’s Day, progress for women and girls remains real yet fragile. Advances in maternal health, education and gender equality show what sustained investment and global cooperation can achieve. Yet new political, economic and social pressures are testing these gains. As @HelenClarkNZ and @khosla_rajat note, safeguarding progress requires strong institutions, accountability and sustained investment in gender equality. Inclusive leadership and continued support for civil society will be essential to ensure that rights and opportunities for women and girls continue to advance. 🔗 Read the full article here: globalpolicyjournal.com/blog/07/03/202… #InternationalWomensDay #IWD #GenderEquality

📣 CSW70 side events starting on 9 March. As the global community gathers for the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, partners from governments, the UN system, academia and civil society will convene across a wide range of side events to advance gender equality and strengthen access to justice for women and girls. Side events at CSW70 provide an important platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange and partnership building, helping translate global commitments into concrete action at national and local levels. 🔎 Explore the full schedule of CSW70 side events: pmnch.who.int/news-and-event… #CSW70 #GenderEquality #WomensRights

Happening tomorrow: Sexual and Reproductive Health at the heart of Universal Health Coverage. As global health financing contracts and political pushback on SRHR intensifies, progress for women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health is increasingly at risk. Service disruptions, workforce losses and rising out-of-pocket costs are widening inequities at the very moment UHC reforms should be closing them. Join GLN Domestic Resource Mobilisation Webinar V to explore how SRH can be protected and embedded within UHC through primary health care, sustainable domestic financing and clearly defined benefit packages. 📅 5 March 2026 ⏰ 13:00–15:00 SAST 🌍 Hybrid 👉 Register here: pmnch.who.int/news-and-event… @GLN_Community @go2uj

PMNCH Executive Director @khosla_rajat reflects on a productive and high-impact February, from elevating health sovereignty and WCAH at the 39th African Union Summit to securing concrete financing gains and strengthening coordinated advocacy across partners. Amid tightening fiscal space and global uncertainty, PMNCH underscores that accountability, domestic investment and collective advocacy are essential to protect and advance women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health. From Nigeria’s significant family planning budget release to the launch of new advocacy platforms and preparations for IMNHC, February showed what aligned leadership can deliver. Read more: pmnch.who.int/news-and-event…

Announcing PMNCH Working Group on Financing for WCAH Financing for women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health (WCAH), including sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), is facing mounting pressure. Stagnating domestic health expenditure, declining development assistance and rising debt burdens are constraining fiscal space, placing hard-won gains at risk and threatening the sustainability of essential services. To respond to this challenge, PMNCH is establishing a Working Group on Financing for WCAH to strengthen coordinated advocacy, policy influence and accountability in support of its 2026–2030 strategy. The Working Group will focus on: • Strengthening domestic resource mobilization and financing accountability • Sustaining and reshaping global solidarity for health financing • Elevating WCAH within national and global financing and policy decision-making processes We are honored that this Working Group will be co-led by @JoyPhumaphi_ and @ltsague, two respected leaders and longstanding champions of women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health within the PMNCH partnership. For more information, please visit: pmnch.who.int/our-work/cross…

📬 Our February E-blast is here! 💬 ED Rajat Khosla on February’s momentum, from the 39th AU Summit to Nigeria’s family planning budget release 🚨 READY, SET, IMPLEMENT! Register for our dialogue on advancing #WCAH in humanitarian and conflict-affected settings 🇳🇬 Nigeria secures 94% of its 2025 family planning allocation through coordinated advocacy 🏥 New technical brief: nearly two thirds of maternal deaths occur in fragile and conflict-affected settings 💡 PMNCH launches a roadmap to scale low-cost innovations for women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health 📨 Read now 👇 mailchi.mp/who/cetg89hg2s…

✨Change calls us to the Women Deliver 2026 Conference.✨ From 27 to 30 April 2026, more than 6,500 changemakers will gather for the first-ever regionally hosted @WomenDeliver Conference — in Narrm (Melbourne), Australia — to strategize, build solidarity, and co-create solutions for gender equality. This is your moment to be in the room where commitments take shape — and there are three key ways to engage right now: 🔑 Register for #WD2026 Be where decisions and commitments for girls, women, and gender-diverse people are forged. 🔗 Don’t miss your chance to help shape what’s next: womendeliver.org

Universal health coverage will not succeed if sexual and reproductive health is left behind. As domestic budgets tighten and external funding contracts, essential SRH services face real risks of fragmentation and under-prioritization. At the same time, resistance to sexual and reproductive health and rights continues to deepen inequities. Join GLN Domestic Resource Mobilisation Webinar V to explore how SRH can be safeguarded and embedded at the core of UHC reforms through primary health care, sustainable domestic financing and clearly defined benefit packages. 📅 5 March 2026 | ⏰ 13:00–15:00 SAST | 🌍 Hybrid 👉 Register here: pmnch.who.int/news-and-event… @GLN_Community @thensgZA @go2uj