Ramaphosa Calls for Global Investment in Women, Children and Adolescents’ Health

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on world leaders to scale up investments in the health and rights of women, children, and adolescents, warning that the consequences of inaction would be measured in lives lost, diminished futures, and destabilised communities.

The President delivered his remarks on Thursday during a high-level dialogue hosted by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Global Leaders Network on “Investing in Peace: Health for Adolescent Youth and Women.” The event was convened on the sidelines of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) Summit in Yokohama, Japan.

Health as the Cornerstone of Peace and Prosperity

Speaking in his capacity as Chair of the Global Leaders Network for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health, President Ramaphosa underscored that the Network is a coalition of heads of state and government united by the conviction that the health, dignity, and potential of women, children, and young people form the foundation of fair, prosperous, and peaceful societies.

“The reality we must confront is that too many women still die in childbirth of preventable causes. Too many children and adolescents still suffer and die from illnesses we know how to prevent or treat,” the President said.

He emphasised that each avoidable death represents a failure of policy and administration, while each life saved reflects political will and commitment.

Three Global Priorities for Action

Outlining the work of the Network, President Ramaphosa identified three priority areas that require urgent attention:

1. Placing women, children, and adolescents at the centre of universal health coverage

   • Health services, he argued, must be safe, effective, compassionate, and responsive to the realities of those most in need.

2. Increasing investment in health

   • With cuts in official development assistance, many nations are moving towards domestic resource mobilisation as a sustainable approach.

   • Ramaphosa called for continued multilateral solidarity, including the consideration of a gap financing mechanism to ensure vulnerable populations are not left behind.

3. Upholding sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)

   • The President cited data showing that lack of access to safe abortion results in higher maternal deaths, costly complications, and infertility.

   • He stressed the need for comprehensive sexual education for adolescents and autonomy for women over their reproductive choices.

A Call for Stronger Partnerships

President Ramaphosa urged governments, financial institutions, civil society, and the private sector to work together to:

• Protect health funding as an integral part of development cooperation.

• Integrate health priorities into climate and broader development strategies.

• Invest in innovation, technology, and digital health solutions.

• Strengthen accountability mechanisms to ensure that promises translate into action.

“The Global Leaders Network commits at the highest political level to keeping the voices of the most vulnerable alive in the halls of power. The moral imperative is clear: no woman, child, or adolescent should die of preventable causes,” he said.

Standing Firm on Rights and Equity

Ramaphosa warned against the reversals in sexual and reproductive health rights observed in some parts of the world, urging leaders to defend gains made over decades of advocacy and struggle.

“We believe that every woman has autonomy over her sexuality and reproductive choices. Every adolescent should get comprehensive sexual education. Every person should be free from sexually transmitted diseases,” he said.

Securing the Future

In his closing remarks, the President insisted that women, children, and adolescents must remain at the heart of sustainable development, since they represent the very future that the global community is striving to secure.

By investing in their health, rights, and potential, he argued, the world will not only save lives but also strengthen peace, prosperity, and social stability for generations to come.