Guide for the implementation of the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health in Latin America and the Caribbean

In September 2015, during the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit, a new Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (2016-2030) was launched by the former United Nations Secretary-General. The Global Strategy builds on the success of the 2010 “Every Woman Every Child” movement and Strategy, and puts women, children and adolescents at the heart of the new UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This Global Strategy envisions a world in which every woman, child and adolescent in every setting realizes their rights to physical and mental health and well-being, has social and economic opportunities, and is able to participate fully in shaping sustainable and prosperous societies.

Following the Global Strategy’s launch, an Operational Framework was developed, presented to and endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) Member States during the 69th World Health Assembly in May 2016. On global level the WHO, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), and the World Bank Group (H6) provide joint support for implementation of the Global Strategy.

In order to support the Region in this process, the regional interagency coordinating mechanism for the adaptation and implementation of the Global Strategy in the Americas also known as Every Women, Every Child in Latin America and the Caribbean (EWEC-LAC), has taken steps towards a coordinated and integrated approach.

In 2017, EWEC-LAC jointly implemented a regional process to facilitate the review and consensus building on implementation of the Global Strategy in the Americas, which included stakeholder consultation in each sub-region. The stakeholder consultations were jointly facilitated by the regional partners, in close collaboration with regional integration mechanisms. As a result, a Guide for the implementation of the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health in Latin America and the Caribbean was developed which includes recommendations for the implementation of the Global Strategy in the LAC Region.