The Prime Minister ushered in the fourth instalment of Partners’ Forum at the capital city, New Delhi. The term “Partners’ Forum” refers to the gathering organized by The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (The Partnership, PMNCH). The Indian Government hosted this 2018 event, which primarily cast its lenses on improving multi-sectoral action for results, sharing national solutions, and encapsulating the best practices and knowledge from within and across health and related sectors. It also aimed to stress the importance of people-centered accountability, bringing the voices and real-life experiences of women, children, and adolescents into the spotlight via innovative programming and creative projects.
Objectives of the Partners’ Forum
The Partners’ Forum has specific objectives in mind. These include creating greater political momentum and maintaining focus on the “Survive-Thrive-Transform” agenda of the Global Strategy, and its impact on accelerating the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The forum also aims to facilitate knowledge exchange by providing a platform for sharing lessons learned and best practices to invent and refine implementation strategies for better results. It also seeks to improve cross-sectoral collaboration through knowledge exchange and joint advocacy strategies.
India’s Second Hosting of the Partners’ Forum and Previous Conferences
Notably, this is the second occurrence of India hosting the Partners’ Forum. Other venues of the previous conferences include Johannesburg, South Africa (2014), New Delhi, India (2010) and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (2007).
The Findings of the 12 Success Factors Case Studies
The Forum presented the findings of the 12 Success Factors case studies that demonstrate how countries are working together across sectors to enhance the health of women, children, and adolescents.
Case Studies
| Country | Theme |
|---|---|
| Germany & Chile | Early Childhood Development |
| USA & Indonesia | Adolescent Health & Well-being |
| India & Cambodia | Quality, Equity, and Dignity in Services |
| Malawi & Malaysia | Sexual and Reproductive Health |
| South Africa & Guatemala | Empowerment of Women, Girls, and Communities |
| Sierra Leone & Afghanistan | Humanitarian and Fragile Settings |
Historical Overview of Partners’ Forum
Launched in September 2005, Partners’ Forum is a global health partnership that seeks to expedite efforts in reducing child and maternal mortality while improving adolescent, child, newborn, and maternal health. The Partnership, hosted at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, is governed by a Board and operates under a Secretariat.
PMNCH’s mission is to assist the global health community in working towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly the health-related SDGs as stipulated in the Strategy for Women’s Children’s and Adolescents’ Health in support of the Every Woman Every Child (EWEC) movement.
The Every Woman Every Child (EWEC) Movement
The United Nations launched the EWEC movement during the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Summit in September 2010. As an unprecedented global movement, EWEC mobilizes and intensifies international and national action by governments, the private sector, and civil society to address significant health challenges faced by women, children, and adolescents worldwide.
Last Modified: February 6, 2024