30 years since the adoption of the ICPD Program of Action, significant progress has been made on advancing sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice globally. But by too many markers, we still have a long road ahead of us in the pursuit of health and rights for all. This is especially evident when we look at the experiences of women and girls of African descent. No matter where they are in the world, Black women are bearing the burden of maternal morbidity and mortality:
Women and girls of African descent across the Americas are more likely to die when giving birth when compared to non Afrodescendent and non Indigenous women. In the United States, the rate is nearly three times higher than the national average.
A woman in Africa who experiences pregnancy and childbirth complications is around 130 times more likely to die from them than a woman in Europe and Northern America.
In the United States, maternal deaths among African American college graduates are 1.6 times higher than among white women with less than a high school diploma.
The Pact of the Future has the potential to bring with it renewed energy in our efforts to leave no one behind. In this context, considering Interactive Dialogue 2, Transforming Global Governance: turbocharging the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, UNFPA, PAHO and the Universal Access Project at the U.N. Foundation propose a global galvanizing moment, and the launch of a groundbreaking new multi stakeholder coalition, on the sidelines of the Summit of the Future to drive urgent action on the structural inequalities that imperil the health, wellbeing, and lives of women and girls of African descent in all their diversity.
This launch event will build upon the recommendations from stakeholder dialogues held at ICPD30 and the third session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent. The new Global Coalition for Transnational Solidarity and Action to Bridge the Gap in Maternal Health for Women and Girls of African Descent aims to bridge the gap on maternal health for women and girls of African descent and build transnational solidarity for the implementation of targeted action for equity in health.
#UNGA79
2 окт 2024
