Much progress has been made over the past decades to ensure that more women and girls survive and thrive. However, this progress has been mixed, and millions of women, adolescents and girls continue to be left behind. New approaches, as well as significant additional financing, are necessary to reach those most at risk, ensure gender equality in opportunities and results, and accelerate progress to reach the Sustainable Development Goals.

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, and the Global Financing Facility (GFF) were created to introduce bold, new ways of addressing critical health issues in low- and low-middle-income countries. Building cross-sectoral partnerships and new innovative financing models the three organizations address the double challenge of boosting funding levels, ensuring long-term sustainability to maximize gender-responsive impact at scale allowing the needs of women, adolescents and girls to be adequately addressed.

Through their individual mandates, the three agencies work to tackle gender inequalities that contribute to poor health outcomes for women and girls, including through health interventions and multisectoral approaches. Each organization has developed unique ways to address the challenges associated with gender disparities in health while collaborating with one another to maximize efficiency and impact.

At the Women Deliver 2019 in Vancouver, Canada, the session highlighted how these innovative partnerships use their resources and catalyze additional funds—including through increasing domestic resources, private sector funding and expertise, and innovative financing tools—to support countries to achieve better health results for women, adolescents and girls, and address key barriers and structural inequalities. The session will draw on examples and lessons from countries and will feature perspectives from young people on the urgency of promoting gender equality and the health needs of women, adolescents and girls.

Speakers:

  • Brenda Fuen Formin, Ambassador, HER Voice
  • Hon. Diane Jacovella, Deputy Minister of International Development, Global Affairs Canada
  • Hon. Ummy Mwalimu, Minister of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Tanzania
  • Peter Sands, Executive Director, The Global Fund
  • Monique Vledder, Head of Secretariat, GFF
  • Sibu Sibaca, Youth Activist and HER Ambassador
  • Theresa Dzanjalimodzi, Ambassador, Girl Effect
  • Hon. Dr. Diane Gashumba, Minister of Health, Rwanda
  • Katja Freiwald, Global Director Advocacy and Partnerships, Gender Equality & Enhancing Livelihoods, Unilever
  • Michele Ganeless, Board Member, Comic Relief
  • Marie-Ange Saraka-Yao, Managing Director, Resource Mobilisation, Private Sector Partnerships and Innovative Finance. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance

Moderator: Chris Dendys, Executive Director, Results Canada