Founder and Chairperson of Rozaria Memorial Trust, Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda gave a strong and impassioned statement at a special event on Women and Children’s Health during the 66th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. She called on governments and partners to invest in women and girls, reduce military expenditure and end all wars. She addressed the meeting as the General Secretary of the World YWCA, representing the voices of civil society. See Full speech below:
“On behalf of women and men of the world, from civil society ~ of diverse ages and faiths, people living with and affected by HIV, community workers, professional groups and rights advocates, among others ~ we stand in solidarity with those who have died, and are dying at this moment due to preventable diseases.
Each day, our hearts bleed as we bury our mothers who die while giving birth; knowing this loss could have been prevented, understanding that this single death has multiple negative effects on our families, our communities, our economies and our social fabric. We find it unacceptable, that in today’s world our children are unable to celebrate their first birthday in many parts of the world.
We stand here to reiterate our call for a world that protects the basic and inherent right to health and to a life with dignity. We rise together with all of you TODAY, – ourselves to taking all necessary measures towards this end, using the resources, skills, knowledge, expertise, inner quest for life and responsible leadership in each one of us.
On this first anniversary of the Global Strategy on Women and Children’s Health, with regret for the lives we have failed to save and fortified by existing commitments to MDGs, CEDAW, CRC and other instruments, we continue to strive for:
- A world where all women and all children enjoy all human rights, and especially the right to health.
- Where governments prioritise resources for reproductive, maternal and newborn health as a development issue.
- Where global citizens and partners ensures delivery on commitments and pledges to every woman and every child.
On behalf of the World YWCA; a global women’s rights movement leading change in the heart of local communities, reaching some 25 million women and girls in 125 countries, we commit to:
- Mobilise political support, engage new constituencies and promote accountability to women and girls.
- Advocate for and monitor the implementation of key global, regional and national commitments on women and children’s health.
- Deliver effective programmes and services on women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, violence against women and HIV through provision of safe and empowering spaces for women and girls in 70 countries.
- Invest $2 million dollars over five years through the YWCA Power to Change Fund to secure women’s health, in addition to individual programmes run and resourced by our member associations
- Contribute an estimated 1 billion hours of time over the next five years through volunteer work in over 22,000 communities, providing care, support, counselling, information and accompaniment.
Many organisations, including the World YWCA, World Vision, Women Deliver, Save the Children, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and others, are working collaboratively on their commitments through the PMNCH stand; translating them into impactful actions in communities as we develop the NGO Accountability framework for women and children’s health.
As governments you have pledged not only funding, but policy and service oriented actions. One day, I will go to my village in Murewa, in my country Zimbabwe, and “give birth at our local clinic without paying maternity fees”. It is these practical and far-reaching policy commitments that we seek to implement.
Today can only have real MEANING if we turn each commitment and each pledge into doable actions; with urgency, with passion, with efficiency and with accountability. This is possible and this is achievable ~ if we focus on some tangible goals such as: invest in health workers; immunise our children; register vital events, provide family planning and sexuality education, reproductive health services, empower women and girls, and invest in young people.
I encourage you, I urge you; I implore you today, individually and collectively, to at least:
- Increase resource allocations to health, education, technology, infrastructure and agriculture and yes, reduce military expenditure; end conflict and wars.
- Ensure stronger national accountability, including the role of parliament and civil society;
- Embrace technology and innovation in health service delivery.
- Focus on adolescent girls and young women, who are at a critical juncture in their lives, where we can make a real difference.
- Go to scale and scale up. We know what works; we just need the resources and commitment to make it happen. We need to scale up for success, results, impact and sustainability.
- Empower communities, by investing in women and girls, and supporting citizens’ voices in turning the tide on maternal and infant mortality.
I am hopeful and I am encouraged that together we are shaping a new narrative on these MDGs. We all have to simply remain true to our world. Lets deliver together and with women”.
Contact: nyaradzai.gumbonzvanda@worldywca.org
Research on HIV and AIDS has generated valuable breakthroughs in the last 20 years. Children born with HIV are more likely to survive with treatment, and vertical transmission has been reduced with the provision of antiretroviral drugs to 45 per cent of pregnant women living with the virus in low- and middle-income countries in 2008. The global community has also made great strides to protect children and facilitate access to education and health services for HIV-positive children and orphans. Organizations such as UNICEF, faith-based organizations and women’s networks such as the World Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) have directed resources to train caregivers in social protection policies and to defend children’s rights to information and dignity. 
