Maud Mwakasungula

In 2021 and 2022, civil society and community members from 43 countries participated in focus groups to discuss what access to health care looks like in their country. These consultations provide insights into the state of universal health coverage (UHC) for women, transgender women, non-binary, sexual and gender minorities. In this session, civil society and community members will share key findings resulting from these consultations and highlight best practices. Participants will learn more about gender-related barriers to accessing quality health care and identify opportunities for advancing gender equity within UHC, including at the upcoming United Nations High-Level Meeting on UHC.

Session format: Thought leadership

Organized by Civil Society Engagement Mechanism, Management Sciences for Health, WACI Health, NCD Alliance, United for Global Mental Health, Success Capital NGO; Malawi’s Women’s Coalition Against Cancer; Consumer Action Network Mental Health Lanka; APCASO

Efforts to improve maternal and new-born health, demographic transitions, and changes in dietary and behavioural patterns around the world have seen non-communicable diseases (NCDs) become the main cause of mortality and morbidity for women, killing 18 million women annually. Women and girls face a triple challenge of reproductive and maternal conditions, infectious diseases and NCDs. Around the world, girls and women living with NCDs experience specific challenges in accessing prevention, early diagnosis, treatment, and care, particularly in low resource contexts. This session will focus on the burden and impact of NCDs among women and girls in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). The event will assess on-going advocacy efforts, leverage new research, and consider frontline experiences to identify opportunities and promising strategic models that are being implemented to build a an integrated, equitable and sustainable health care system.

Panelists will represent diverse sectors, including people living with NCDs who will share their lived experiences accessing health care and advocating for policy changes related to NCD prevention and control. During the session, the audience will convene in discussion groups to explore barriers and opportunities for progress, including strategies to improve collaboration across the gender equity and maternal child health movements to build a more equitable, NCD-ready health care system in order to achieve the NCD targets. The discussion will guide advocacy plans across key NCD ‘Best Buys’ and identify priorities to be carried forward in the WHO/AFRO region ahead of the UN High Level Meeting on NCDs (2025).

Session format: Networking & Partnership building

Organized by Taskforce on Women & NCDs, NCDI Poverty Network, NCD Rwanda Alliance, The George Institute India