As part of the global effort to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), countries around the world reported major gains in the health and wellbeing of women and children between 1990 and 2015. The global rate of maternal mortality fell by 47 per cent and child mortality declined by 49 per cent. However, any celebration of progress is tempered by the reality that millions of women, children, newborns, and adolescents continue to die every year; mostly from preventable causes. As the world transitions from the MDGs to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we must uphold our commitment to keep reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH) at the heart of the global agenda. Fulfilling this promise is both a practical imperative and a moral obligation.

The UN Secretary-General's Global Strategy for Women's, Children's, and Adolescents' Health sets out a plan to give every woman, child, and adolescent the opportunity to not only survive, but to thrive and transform his or her community. Implementing the Global Strategy and achieving the SDG targets requires an unprecedented level of alignment and coordination amongst each and every one of us working in the field of RMNCAH.

On behalf of the six organizations responsible for promoting and implementing the global health agenda across the UN system, UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF, UN Women, WHO, and the World Bank Group, we, the undersigned, stand united in our commitment to operationalize the Global Strategy.

Building on our tradition of working together to support countries in achieving the MDGs, we, as members of the H6 (previously known as the H4+), will provide coordinated technical support to country-led efforts to implement the Global Strategy and achieve the ambitious targets of the health-related SDGs. At the same time, we will continue to advocate for evidence-based RMNCAH programmes and policies at the global, regional, and national levels.

As the current H6 chair (2016-2018), UNAIDS will lead the partnership in fulfilling its mandate to leverage the strengths and capacities of each of the six member organizations in order to support high-burden countries in their efforts to improve the survival, health, and well-being of every woman, newborn, child, and adolescent.

As representatives of the H6, we renew our commitment to implement this mandate in support of the Global Strategy. We call on RMNCAH activists and advocates worldwide to join us in fulfilling this shared pledge to women, children, and adolescents everywhere.

Michel Sidibé, Executive Director, UNAIDS

Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director, UNFPA

Anthony Lake, Executive Director, UNICEF

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director, UN Women

Margaret Chan, Director General, WHO

Tim Evans, Senior Director, Health, Nutrition and Population Global Practice, The World Bank Group

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

A powerful message about the need to progress on both the response to HIV and the sexual and reproductive rights of young people came out of the seventh Africa Conference on Sexual Health and Rights, which took place in Accra, Ghana, from 8 to 12 February.   

The theme of the conference was “Realizing demographic dividend in Africa: the critical importance of adolescents and youth sexual and reproductive health and rights”. It was hosted by the First Lady of Ghana, Lordina Mahama, who is also the President of the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA), and brought together a broad range of stakeholders from government, the diplomatic community, youth groups, organizations of people living with HIV, the private sector, academia and the media.

The conference concluded that it was possible to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 only if the sexual and reproductive rights of young people were respected. The need for multisectoral investment in services for young people, including comprehensive sexuality education, was underlined.

Of the total number of adolescents living with HIV globally in 2014, 83% lived in sub-Saharan Africa. AIDS is now the leading cause of death among adolescents in Africa, and adolescents are the only age group in which AIDS-related deaths are not decreasing. In low- and middle-income countries, one in every three girls is married before reaching the age of 18, and one in nine is married before reaching their 15th birthday. Only a quarter of girls and a third of boys are reported to have a full understanding of how HIV is transmitted or how it can be prevented.

During the conference, Ms Mahama championed OAFLA’s launch of the continental All In campaign to end AIDS among adolescents. OAFLA also launched an initiative to end child marriage by 2020. 

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Young people in eastern and southern Africa, like many of their peers around the world, often receive conflicting and inaccurate information about sex. This can lead to badly informed decisions about how, when or with whom to have sex and how to protect themselves against HIV. 

With support from UNAIDS, UNESCO and SAfAIDS a major regional series of radio and TV programmes has been launched to address this gap. It is designed to deliver comprehensive sexuality education to young people and give them a forum to discuss issues around sex and sexuality, in a region where HIV prevalence is high. Across Africa, AIDS-related illness is still the leading cause of death among adolescents, and adolescent girls and young women are especially vulnerable to new HIV infections.

According to Charity Banda, HIV/AIDS Coordinator at Zambia’s Ministry of Education, this move is very important. “By facing puberty without being prepared, young people are left confused and unsupported. This ultimately makes them vulnerable to high-risk behaviours that increase their chances of contracting HIV. That’s why this new initiative is so timely.”

The series was first launched in Zambia on 21 February 2015 and is set to be broadcast in five other countries later this year: Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Sudan and United Republic of Tanzania. The Zambian series has 26 TV episodes,  13 radio episodes and includes a 15 minute live talk show every Saturday called The Sexuality Talk Challenge.  

It is being aired on the largest television and radio network in the country, the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation, which reaches more than 4 million people every day on TV alone. The programmes are being translated into several local languages.  

Guests on the show include young people, youth-led organizations, teachers, government officials, policy-makers and civil society representatives. Topics discussed on air have touched on: love, sex and healthy relationships; self-esteem and understanding yourself and your rights as an adolescent; peer pressure; and challenging misconceptions. One episode has also been dedicated to improving communication between young people and the significant adults in their lives.   

“Evidence has shown that teenagers who have discussed issues with their parents or guardians are more likely to make safer, smarter decisions about sex and their sexuality,” said Patricia Machawira, UNESCO’s Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Advisor on HIV and Education. “This includes waiting longer to begin having sex, having fewer sexual partners, using contraception and having the confidence to say “no” to doing anything they are not comfortable with,” she added.

The series’ frank and open discussions have already been sparking debate. The partners hope that by the time the programme finishes its run in Zambia at the end of June such discussions will have helped break down barriers to communication, with access to accurate information empowering young people to make informed choices for a better, healthier future.

As Medhin Tsehaiu, UNAIDS Country Director for Zambia, sums up, “Information is power and young people need to be equipped with the right information and skill to make right decisions.”

GENEVA, 18 November 2014—UNAIDS welcomes the recent ruling by the High Court of Botswana upholding the right of an organization that supports lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people to register in the country.

In its groundbreaking judgement, the court held that the refusal by the government in 2012 to register the organization known as LEGABIBO (Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals of Botswana) violates the rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association protected by the country’s constitution. The ruling represents the first time a high jurisdiction in Africa has upheld the freedom of assembly and association for LGBTI people.

“Through the courage of civil society organizations and the boldness of its judiciary, Botswana is sending an important message of inclusiveness and freedom,” said Michel Sidibé, UNAIDS Executive Director.

A valuable lesson learned in over 30 years of the HIV response is that civil society, particularly organizations of people living with and vulnerable to HIV, is essential to advancing health, dignity and development.

While Botswana has sharply increased access to antiretroviral therapy in the past decade, HIV prevalence in the country is still one of the highest in the world, at 21.9%. In response, Botswana is implementing a national strategic framework that includes the protection of human rights for all as a guiding principle.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.