Washington, D.C. | 21 April 2017—The UN Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, has joined the High-level Steering Group for Every Woman Every Child as its third and senior Co-Chair. The announcement, made in the margins of the Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund, highlights the importance of the highest level political leadership to foster health and wellbeing of women, children and adolescents as key to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

“In a time of complex development challenges, the investments we make today in women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health and wellbeing will help build the peaceful, sustainable and inclusive societies we have promised to achieve through the Sustainable Development Goals,” Mr. Guterres affirmed. “All that we strive for as a human family—dignity and hope, progress and prosperity—depends on peace,” said the UN Secretary-General. “Peace cannot exist without development and development cannot exist without health and wellbeing, for healthy and empowered women, children and adolescents can bring about the change needed to create a better future for all,” he added.

The UN Secretary-General joins Co-Chairs President Michele Bachelet, of Chile, and Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, of Ethiopia, alternate Co-Chairs former Presidents Ms. Tarja Halonen, of Finland, and Mr. Jakaya Kikwete, of Tanzania, as well as other 16 members of the Group.

“Every Woman Every Child welcomes the UN Secretary-General as Co-Chair of the High-level Steering Group, as we work together to ensure that global advocacy is translated into local action and impact for results,” President Bachelet noted, highlighting that the movement is ready for its next phase under the leadership of the UN Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres.

As a global multi-stakeholder partnership, Every Woman Every Child (EWEC) provides a unique platform to unite stakeholders across sectors to deliver on an integrated agenda for women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health and wellbeing. The movement puts in action the EWEC Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health, which provides a blueprint to help countries implement the Sustainable Development Goals.

Such efforts are supported by the Every Woman Every Child core partners, which include: the H6 (UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF, UN Women, WHO and the World Bank Group), the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (The Partnership), the Global Financing Facility (GFF) in support of Every Woman Every Child, and the Every Woman Every Child Innovation Marketplace.

Over the past seven years, the movement galvanized ambitious action and coordinated efforts across sectors. Since 2015, over 60 country and 150 multi-stakeholder commitments have been made by Every Woman Every Child partners, totaling over US$27 billion to deliver on the promises of a sustainable future for all by 2030.

For more details about Every Woman Every Child visit: http://www.everywomaneverychild.org/

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Media Contact: Ms. Etienne Franca, Communications Officer, Every Woman Every Child Team, franca@un.org, +1 (917) 367 5757

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Quotes from high-level officials:

“All women, children & adolescents, everywhere, should be able to fully exercise their rights & be treated with dignity & respect. Every Woman Every Child is committed to making this a reality, where human rights underpin all efforts for health & wellbeing.”

H.E. Ms. Tarja Halonen
Former President of Finland
Alternate Co-Chair of the High-Level Steering Group for Every Woman Every Child

*****

“Too many are still left behind despite progress over the past decade. Our efforts across sectors must amplify common goals—especially for education. Through the Every Woman Every Child movement, we’re working to change this.”

H.E. Mr. Jakaya Kikwete
Former President of Tanzania
Alternate Co-Chair of the High-Level Steering Group for Every Woman Every Child

*****

“Canada is committed to working with this group to ensure that every woman, child and adolescent is empowered to become what they chose to be. Building partnerships and working at the local level will be key if we are to achieve real results and build a better future for them.”

H.E. Ms. Marie-Claude Bibeau
Minister of International Development and La Francophonie of Canada
Member of the High-Level Steering Group for Every Woman Every Child

*****

“Investing in women, children & adolescents means investing in more sustainable, prosperous equitable & resilient societies. This is the future we want & what we are working for.”

H.E. Mr. Børge Brende
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Norway
Member of the High-Level Steering Group for Every Woman Every Child

*****

“We must work together in partnership to move the needle—standing as one for those who need us most. I am committed to Every Woman Every Child.”

H.E. Mr. Jagat Prakash Nadda
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare of the Republic of India
Member of the High-Level Steering Group for Every Woman Every Child

*****

“We must do more to ensure all women, children & adolescents can access quality care, no matter where they are. Together with Every Woman Every Child, I’m committed to do my part to make this a reality for all.”

H.E. Rym Abdulla Al Falasy
Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood
Board Member of the Gender Balance Council, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Member of the High-Level Steering Group for Every Woman Every Child

*****

“The investments we make in women, children & adolescents will build a stronger, more resilient world for everyone. That means leaving no one behind. Together, we must reach women, children and adolescents everywhere but especially those who are hardest to reach; they form the last mile in vulnerability but the first mile in our response.”

H.E. Mr. Elhadj As Sy
Secretary-General, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Member of the High-Level Steering Group for Every Woman Every Child

*****

“Partnerships across sectors are critical to achieving sustainable peace & development. We all have a role to play to unlock the full potential of women, children & adolescents. Through Every Woman Every Child, we can and will make a difference.”

H.E. Mr. Saber Chowdhury
President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Member of Parliament, Bangladesh
Member of the High-Level Steering Group for Every Woman Every Child

*****

“Equality, empowerment & participation for women, adolescents and children. It is their right, and our responsibility. I am committed to make this a reality, and to transform and sustain our communities. I support the Every Woman Every Child movement.”

H.E. Ms. Dame Meg Taylor, DBE
Secretary-General, Pacific Islands Forum
Member of the High-Level Steering Group for Every Woman Every Child

*****

“As key drivers of transformative change, adolescents must be front & center in all that we do. I’m proud to support Every Woman Every Child and ensure young people are heard and counted.”

Ms. Jovana Ríos Cisnero
Vice President of Panamanian Family Planning Association Board
Member Board of Directors, IPPF Western Hemisphere, Panama
Member of the High-Level Steering Group for Every Woman Every Child

*****

“The private sector has an important role to play in improving women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health and wellbeing. We are ready to meet the challenge and boost action in support of Every Woman Every Child.”

Mr. Robert Collymore
Chief Executive Officer, Safaricom Limited, Kenya
Member of the High-Level Steering Group for Every Woman Every Child

*****

“If partners work in silos, we’ll never secure the health and well-being of all women, children and adolescents. Every Woman Every Child is bringing leaders together to achieve meaningful, lasting change for the world’s most vulnerable.”

Mr. Kevin Jenkins
President and Chief Executive Officer, World Vision International
Member of the High-Level Steering Group for Every Woman Every Child

*****

“I will leverage the resources of Every Woman Every Child China Partnership Network to support the Global Strategy, address the health challenges facing women, children and adolescents, in order to help to ensure a better future for all.”

Ms. Li Xiaolin
President, The Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries
Member of the High-Level Steering Group for Every Woman Every Child

*****

“All children have a right to the best start in life. Investment in the health of women and children is also one of the best ways of building a more prosperous world.”

Ms. Helle Thorning-Schmidt
CEO, Save the Children International
Former Prime Minister of Denmark
Member of the High-Level Steering Group for Every Woman Every Child