Wellbeing of vulnerable groups central to global development: Ramaphosa

By Johnathan Paoli

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for urgent, coordinated global action to protect the health and rights of women, children and adolescents, warning that failure to act will not only cost lives, but also undermine social stability and economic prosperity for generations.

Addressing the United Nations Population Fund and Global Leaders Network on Investing in Peace: Health for Adolescent Youth and Women, held on the sidelines of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development Summit in Yokohama, Ramaphosa outlined an agenda aimed at reversing setbacks in global health outcomes, and ensuring sustainable progress toward the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Speaking in his capacity as chair of the Global Leaders Network for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health, alongside fellow member states Ethiopia and Nigeria, Ramaphosa stressed that the wellbeing of vulnerable groups must remain central to global development efforts.

“The Global Leaders Network is a coalition of heads of