The “Every Woman Every Child” Innovation Marketplace which took place on May 23 of this year has brought refreshed interest and curiosity about this ambitious multi-faceted movement. Launched in September 2010 by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the initiative has been designed to continually save and improve the lives of women, children, and adolescents across the globe through healthcare, education and technological advancements. What it has been able to accomplish over its less than a decade in existence is nothing short of phenomenal.
A goal to “Survive, Thrive and Transform”
Needless deaths of women, children, and teens occur every single year with many more suffering from unnecessary disability and illness. According to Every Woman Every Child, these number in the millions. The stats make for difficult reading:
- 289,000 women
- 1.3 million adolescents
- 2.6 million stillbirths
- 2.8 million newborns
- 6.3 million children below five years of age
Every Woman Every Child’s Global Strategy has three key objectives: to help women and children survive, thrive, and transform.
- Survive: To put an end to preventable deaths
- Thrive: To ensure the health and well-being of individuals
- Transform: To expand environments which allow progress
The roadmap presented in the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health is designed to put an end to all preventable deaths while also ensuring the well-being of these individuals. The goal is to accomplish this within a single generation (2016 to 2030).
Why the health of women, children and adolescents matters
There is no question that a healthy society is critical for the building of successful economies and communities. A thriving economy means prosperity, which in turn brings with it harmony and political stability.
Research has found that the health and well-being of women, children, and adolescents is crucial when it comes to human development and progress. Having women and children in good health is the cornerstone of public health, and the good health of adolescents is key to the Every Woman Every Child movement being able to achieve the 2030 goal of preventing any further needless deaths.
Everyone has a role to play
- Since the initiative began, there has been a dramatic decrease in child and maternal deaths:
- Deaths among children aged five and under decreased by 49% in comparison to 1990 statistics
- Maternal deaths decreased by 47% in comparison to 1990 statistics
Everyone has to come together to continue to make this initiative a success, from governments and policymakers to the business community and civil society. To learn more about Every Woman Every Child, visit their website and follow them on both Facebook and Twitter for more updates from this incredible movement.
Further Reading:
https://www.everywomaneverychild.org/what-is-a-commitment/
http://www.unfoundation.org/what-we-do/campaigns-and-initiatives/every-
woman-every-child/