event details - Policy dialogue on adolescent health advocacy in SDG Summit 2023

Investing in young people's health generates a triple benefit that includes healthy young people now, healthy adults in the future, and healthy future generations. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s, and Adolescents’ Health (2016-2030) highlight the strategic importance of young persons for the success of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In addition, a recent report from the Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing stated that this generation of adolescents and young adults can transform all our futures if we ensure they have the resources to do so. To discuss, the Sustainable Development Policy Institute, WHO Pakistan, Ministry of Planning Development and Reforms, and Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination organized an event on Monday, 21 August 2023 to

The World Health Organisation (WHO) launched the Global Accelerated Action Plan for the Health of Adolescents (AA-HA!) which was endorsed at the 68th World Health Assembly in May 2015 and aimed to accelerate the inclusion of adolescents into the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s, and Adolescent’s Health. The 64th Regional Committee of Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMRO) held in Islamabad in October 2017 passed a resolution on all member states' operationalization of the AA-HA framework. To operationalize the framework for Pakistan, the WHO office supported the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Government of Pakistan in conducting a Need Assessment and Landscape Analysis of adolescent health followed by the development of the Pakistan National Strategy on Adolescent Health and Development (2020-25).

In preparation for the upcoming SDG summit in September 2023, PMNCH is promoting advocacy with Member States to facilitate their efforts in highlighting the importance of investing in the comprehensive well-being of adolescents as one of the priority areas in the Political Declaration outcome document of the SDG Summit. WHO Geneva and EMRO have guided on encouraging the utilization of the key asks document by Member States in their series of consultation efforts to champion these asks as part of the SDG review process ahead of the September 2023 SDG Summit.

Dr. Khalid Siddeeg from EMRO, Ms.Elen Thom from WHO, and Dr. Vaqar Ahmed from SDPI gave technical presentations and the meeting was chaired by Member planning Mr. Rafi Ullah Kakar. Representatives from various organizations, including MoNHSR&C, the Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms, USAID, UNICEF, UNFPA, the Gates Foundation, Pathfinder International, Nutrition International, the Pakistan Girls Guides Association, the Pakistan Boys Scouts Association, and government and non-government officials, attended the meeting.