UNITED NATIONS FOUNDATION
At the 2012 London Summit on Family Planning, the United Nations Foundation (UNF) committed to launching and co-leading the Family Planning and Reproductive Health pillar of the Millennium Development Goal Health Alliance. This team works with UNFPA, other UN agencies, and key stakeholders from across the public and private sectors to identify and build partnerships to promote voluntary family planning and access to reproductive health. Recent accomplishments include the 2013 launch of “Family Planning: the Most Cost-Effective Investment in Global Development,” an online resource for business and philanthropists; the release of the MDG 4/5 Roadmap, integrating contraception and maternal and newborn health goals; and a new partnership with pharmaceutical manufacturers of contraceptive devices.
UNF’s Why We Care project showcases personal stories from global leaders who are committed to advancing reproductive health and rights. First unveiled at the 2012 London Summit, the platform has since been expanded and more than two dozen new champions have been added. UNF also helped launch the Girl Declaration, a call to action for keeping girls in the post-2015 agenda. UNF partnered with Nigeria’s Saving One Million Lives (SOML) Initiative in 2013. Launched by President Goodluck Jonathan, the initiative aims to expand access to essential primary health services and commodities for Nigeria’s women and children. With the SOML Office, GSMA and Intel, UNF is working closely with the Nigerian government to scale up information communication technologies in support of the initiative.
UNF also hosts the Mobile Alliance for Maternal Action (MAMA), a multi-stakeholder partnership that delivers vital health messages, including information on postpartum family planning, to new and expectant mothers via their mobile phones. MAMA programs in Bangladesh and South Africa have already reached 1.3 million women, and this year the program is being expanded to India.
