The revised Every Woman Every Child global strategy 2016 - 2030

Check against delivery

Excellencies,

I would like to congratulate the countries that have significantly increased their investments in maternal and child health.

These investments build nations. Failing to invest in women, girls and adolescents means squandering your most valuable asset. It stops development. But it takes resolute political leadership to make these bold, long-term investments.

I salute the Secretary-General for his excellent leadership of the Every Woman Every Child movement and for staying the course. This movement has brought the agenda forward by fostering innovations and new partnerships. The revised Every Woman Every Child global strategy for the next 15 years makes it clear that the Sustainable Development Goals will not be met unless we invest in women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health.

Norway is committed to global health and the revised global strategy. This strategy connects the Millennium Development Goals with the sustainable development era. Our priority is to lift women, children and adolescents out of poverty by investing in their health. I am proud to announce that Norway is planning to contribute NOK 3.5 billion in 2016, which translates to about 430 million US dollars at the current exchange rate. These funds will be used for activities within the full range of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health. 600 million Norwegian kroner of this contribution will be channeled through the Global Financing Facility Trust Fund. The Global Financing Facility Trust Fund has been set up in the World Bank in support of Every Woman Every Child. The fund will support smart, scaled and sustainable financing. A country is eligible for support from the Global Financing Facility Trust Fund if it gives priority to spending national resources on better health services for women, children and adolescents.

The Trust Fund is part of the Global Financing Facility that was launched at the Financing for Development conference in Addis Ababa in July. Making up a global partnership in support of Every Woman Every Child, the Global Financing Facility aims to increase and align funding for health on the basis of a country’s health priorities and plans. We believe this facility will advance the transition to more national ownership in financing health services for women, children and adolescents at the local level, the regional level and at the national level.

The revised global strategy takes into account the broader determinants of health, such as education, nutrition, water and sanitation. Norway is committed to doubling its investment in global education from 2014 to 2017. The returns on investing in girls going school are quite substantial from a health perspective. This is an opportunity we cannot afford to miss, as we seek to ensure healthy lives for all by 2030.