bringing our #ReachEveryChild campaign to New York

We had an action-packed week in New York during the recent United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), participating in impactful events that drove forward crucial conversations on health equity, nutrition, and disease eradication. From global health to pandemic preparedness, we championed some of the most pressing issues affecting marginalized populations. Here’s a recap of our eventful week!

stepping up at the Summit of the Future

The Summit of the Future set the tone for UNGA with its discussions on long-term global challenges. We had advocated for strong language on health and equity in its Declaration and to ensure Canada's delegation to the Summit has a child or youth representative to share their unique experience and have a voice at global decision-making tables.

What happened:

• World leaders united to adopt the Pact for the Future, which included a Declaration on Future Generations. We were thrilled to see there was a significant inclusion of health priorities. For example, the Pact affirms leaders’ commitment to invest in the social and economic development of children and youth to reach their full potential. This includes accelerating efforts to have universal health coverage, including immunization and sexual and reproductive health for all.
• Prime Minister Trudeau affirmed Canada’s support for the Summit, its call for nations to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and its commitment to investing in our future.
• Trudeau met with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and activist Malala Yousafzai to discuss the importance of global access to quality education and their concern for women and girls living under Taliban rule in Afghanistan.
• Members of the Refugee Education Council attended high-level meetings, shared their stories, and raised their voices to ensure all children have access to quality education.

a milestone in the fight against polio

Ahead of UNGA, International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to eradicating polio with a pledge of $151 million to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. This exceeds the $150 million we've all been advocating for and is a significant step toward protecting the world’s children.

We took our celebration of this announcement to New York!

What happened:

• Deputy Minister of International Development Christopher MacLennan re-announced Canada’s pledge at an event, stating Canada will continue to support the fight against polio “until the very end”.

taking a stand on anti-microbial resistance and tuberculosis

For months, in the lead-up to United Nations High-Level Meeting on Anti-Microbial Resistance (UN HLM on AMR), we joined Stop TB Canada in calling on Canada to meaningfully participate in this meeting and recommit to TB elimination. TB accounts for one third of deaths related to drug resistance, and the WHO recently added TB bacteria to its list of drug-resistant bacteria most threatening to health.

Our asks included:

1. Canada championing strong language on TB in the meeting’s political declaration.
2. Canada announcing funding to combat AMR, with a focus on drug-resistant TB.
3. Meaningfully involving people in Canada with lived experience of drug-resistant TB in consultations and supporting their participation in Canada’s delegation.

What happened:

• We were thrilled to see the political declaration passed with several references to drug-resistant TB. Canada was critical to the push for this language.
• While Canada’s representative, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam, highlighted the connection between AMR and TB, we were disappointed there was no related funding announcement. We continue to call on Canada to increase its investments in research and development for TB.
• We launched our report – Investing in Innovation and Equitable Access to End the Tuberculosis Epidemic – co-authored with Results UK and other partners. Read the full report and use this toolkit to amplify it on social media.

tackling global malnutrition

We engaged with decision-makers and other global advocates to set the stage for our upcoming nutrition campaign. Over the next months, we will be calling on Canada to show up at the Nutrition For Growth (N4G) Summit in Paris with a bold pledge to protect the health rights and dignity of marginalized women and children, including those living in conflict zones.

What happened:

• Two important reports were launched – The Goalkeepers Report 2024 and the World Bank General Investment Framework for Nutrition (GIFN) 2024. Both underscore the alarming rise of child malnutrition and the urgent need for investments. We will use these reports to demonstrate why it’s important for countries like Canada to step up at the N4G Summit in March.
• The Eleanor Crook Foundation launched the James P. Grant Child Survival Award, to recognize a contemporary leader for achievements in scaling child survival solutions. The award honours the legacy of James P. Grant, UNICEF’s former Executive Director. (Grant has ties to Results Canada! He collaborated with our volunteers to secure Canada’s leadership at the historic 1990 World Summit for Children, the first-ever world summit at the UN on children.)

connecting with advocates

We had the opportunity to connect with like-minded advocates from across the world. From Minda Dentler, author, athlete, and advocate who has been championing the fight to end polio to 15-year-old Fy from Madagascar who has been raising awareness about the importance of immunization in her country and globally. These connections are crucial in amplifying our collective impact and pushing our governments to be bold in their ambition and investments.

energized for the road ahead

As we look to the future, we remain energized and committed to our campaign to #ReachEveryChild. In the months ahead, we will continue advocating for Canada to invest in Gavi and step up its global leadership in the fight against malnutrition. Together, we are making progress, and together, we will ensure every child has a shot at a healthier, more equitable future.