Remarks by UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem during the 'Renewing the Promise for Women, Children and Adolescents' High-level event on the occasion of the 78th UN General Assembly

Your Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa,
Honorable Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark,
Right Honorable Helen Clark,

Members of the diplomatic corps,

Colleagues and partners,

Dear Cathy and colleagues,
Dear young people,

Significant progress is made when the world galvanizes to save the lives of women and children.

At the beginning of this millennium, governments committed to the Millennium Development Goals, which called for a 75 per cent reduction in the maternal mortality rate by 2015. The result? The maternal mortality ratio fell by 33 per cent globally – and by more than half in the 58 countries with the highest rates of maternal mortality.

In 2015, with the Sustainable Development Goals, the world again committed to reducing the maternal death ratio, this time to below 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030. However, today, we are nowhere close to achieving that target.

As we have heard, preventing maternal deaths has stagnated at unacceptable levels even in the SDG era —and in some regions, maternal deaths are even increasing. Why is it?

Pregnancy and childbirth-related complications are currently the leading cause of death globally among adolescent girls. Half of these pregnancies are unintended and unplanned. And 6 million of them end in unsafe abortions.

Inequities in healthcare and reproductive injustice are a daily reality for women and girls. African and Afrodescendent women and girls are demanding change! Why should they, experience significant disparities in sexual and reproductive health outcomes and die during childbirth — compared to non-Afrodescendant populations.

These numbers are not just statistics; they are stark reminders of the lives we stand to lose unless we act decisively. Conflict, humanitarian crises, growing disparities and COVID-19 fallout must not further hamper our collective progress.

Tackling maternal deaths is no mystery: increase access to family planning, improve comprehensive sexuality education for young people to avoid early pregnancy, and invest in midwives — close the global gap of nearly 1 million midwives so that every woman has access to the high-quality care she needs in pregnancy and during and after childbirth.

Leadership matters. Data analysis matters. Conviction matters. Let us appreciate President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa for his leadership in establishing a Global Leadership Network on Women’s, Children’s and Adolescent’s Health. Thank you, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen of Denmark, for your presence and support. You are shining examples of the high-level leadership we need to advance this critical agenda.

We have an unprecedented opportunity during this high-level week of the United Nations General Assembly to cast a spotlight on global health, and the importance of Universal Health Coverage. It’s important to ensure that the health and wellbeing of women, children and adolescents are kept at the forefront of the international political agenda.

In the lead up to the Global Forum for Adolescents in October, and the 30th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development next year, let’s champion young people and support their health and wellbeing — and leadership. Better yet, let’s support efforts of women and youth-led networks, and their participation in and advice to governments, in health services, and beyond.

There’s a South African proverb: You cannot beat a drum with one finger.

Partnership. Networks. Rights and choices. We will need all hands on deck to make a difference, so let’s pull together and combine our efforts to deliver for women and for the largest generation of adolescents ever.

Today, I renew my promise and I hope you will too.

Let’s finally deliver on our promise to women, children and adolescents — by 2030. Stand with women and young people and safeguard their health and wellbeing, because there are no limits to what they – and we – can achieve — by drumming in unison.