On Wednesday, I joined a group of mothers for a powerful conversation on how we can improve the health and well-being of women and children, and the topic on everyone’s mind was the horrifying kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls in Nigeria. As a mother and an advocate for girls, I’m appalled and angry at this assault on girls because they were excising their fundamental right to education. The UN Foundation joins the call of […]

By Andrea Sok Tonia Sanders, a Champion for the UN Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign, recently sat down with Joan Awunyo-Akaba, civil society representative on the GAVI Alliance Board, which works to increase access to immunization in low-income countries. She is also the founder and Executive Director of Future Generations International, a Ghanaian based NGO that promotes health and development. Sanders, a blogger (thechattymomma.com), mother of two, and passionate advocate for global vaccines, posed questions about the

Mothers are powerful, and on Mother’s Day, we celebrate moms who impact our lives and work tirelessly to change the world. The United Nations Foundation knows how important mothers are in promoting prosperity, success, and growth in communities around the world. We support the United Nations every day in its effort to provide mothers the resources they need to lead healthy, happy lives. Here are 5 things to remember this Mother’s Day, starting with words

By Kirsten Gagnaire, Executive Director, MAMA This Mother’s Day marked the 3rd anniversary of MAMA – the Mobile Alliance for Maternal Action. The reality is that nearly 800 women die every day because of complications from pregnancy or childbirth – but nearly 1 billion women worldwide own mobile phones, providing an important opportunity to put health messages directly into women’s hands so they can care for themselves and their families during one of the most

Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) did something it has never done in the history of the global polio eradication effort – it declared polio a “public health emergency of international concern,” calling the international spread of polio in 2014 an “extraordinary event.” Along with this announcement, WHO recommended that ten polio-affected countries, including seven that have been re-infected with the virus, either ensure or encourage the vaccination of all residents and long-term visitors

By Jane Ferguson, Scientist at the World Health Organization’s Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health There are more than 1 billion adolescents and most are healthy. But an estimated 1.3 million young people aged 10 to 19 died in 2012, mostly from preventable or treatable causes, and many more suffered needlessly from injuries and illnesses. The World Health Organization’s new report, Health for the World’s Adolescents, analyses the current situation and makes a

Around the world, 3 billion people burn solid fuels such as wood and charcoal for their daily cooking needs. Women and girls can spend up to five hours a day searching for and collecting fuel, taking time away from educational and economic opportunities and putting their safety at risk. Dangers for girls and women are particularly pronounced in crisis and conflict settings. This week, the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, which is working to build

By Erin Hohlfelder, Policy Director, Global Health, ONE Quick! With less than a month to go until the World Cup kickoff, can you name this soccer star based on this childhood photo? OK, OK…this was a trick question (if you guessed Erin Hohlfelder, then you’re probably my parents). I may not have been quite good enough back in the day to make it to the World Cup. But I was able to grow up into

Editor’s Note: Right now, the UN Foundation’s Shot@Life campaign is raising funds and awareness to “stop the spots,” a reference to measles, one of the leading causes of death for children under 5. To support the effort, click here, and to learn more, read on! 1. Measles is one of the most contagious and deadliest killers of children under the age of five. 2. Severe measles is more likely among poorly nourished young children, especially