On the sidelines of the mid-year African Union (AU) Summit, GBCHealth along with companies and other private sector organizations, political leaders, and bilateral and multilateral partners participated in the Sahel Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend (SWEDD) Resource Mobilization Roundtable, themed around “Investing in Women’s Empowerment and Human Capital as a Development Strategy for Growth.” In his keynote address, the President … Read More
A New Year Brings New Challenges and New Opportunities
Dear Friends and Colleagues, As the New Year gets underway, we are grateful for the immense support and dedication our partners have shown us over the last year. Together, as a global health community, we made significant progress in 2017 – renewing commitments to TB and intensifying efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance. 2017 also brought changes in global leadership at … Read More
Insights: The Pivotal Role of the Private Sector in Achieving the Demographic Dividend in Africa
By Rebecca Fishman, Project Manager “Youth is the hope of our future,” wrote the Filipino patriot José Rizal in the late 1800s. The sentiment still resonates today, and particularly when it comes to achieving the African Union’s goal of an integrated and prosperous Africa. The fastest growing continent, Africa has the most youthful population; 70% of the projected 1.6 billion … Read More
Progress, not perfection, in the fight to end child marriage
A press release from UNICEF on October 23, 2017 outlines how far we’ve come and how far we have to go in the fight to end child marriage. Despite progress made over the past two decades, it will take 100 years to end child marriage in West & Central Africa at the current rate of decline. Due to Africa’s rapid … Read More
Insights: Reaching Children Earlier to Disrupt Gender Norms and Improve Health
By Alyssa Govindan, Communications GENDER NORMS & HEALTH IMPLICATIONS While gender norms are being challenged in the West, in many other parts of the world they are becoming further engrained. Even at a young age, gender norms can dictate the activities boys and girls are allowed to participate in. Behaviors as simple as playing outside can be gendered, with boys … Read More
Events: GBCH President Addresses African Leaders at Forum
The following is a transcript of the keynote speech GBCHealth’s President, Nancy Wildfeir-Field, gave at the Rebranding Africa Forum on October 6, 2017. Excellencies, Ministers, Ambassadors and Distinguished guests. Bonjour. I am genuinely honored to be here today to kick off this formidable event, amongst esteemed partners and friends. My name is Nancy Wildfeir-Field and I am the President of … Read More
The Private Sector and Africa’s Demographic Dividend
On the occasion of the 72nd UN General Assembly (UNGA), GBCHealth, World Bank and UNFPA will convene a high-level meeting on September 22nd (08.30-10.30 ET) to discuss the private sector’s role in supporting Africa’s demographic change. Hosted by His Excellency Prof. Alpha Condé, President of Guinea and Chairperson for the African Union, the event will bring together African Heads of … Read More
Investments in Health as a Driver of SME Growth in Africa
By: ‘Kayode Ajayi-Smith, GBCHealth Communications Africa is poised to reap a windfall from its fast-paced urbanization; technological acceleration, with investments totaling $129 million in 2016; abundance of natural resources; and rising workforce — estimated to top 1.1 billion workers by 2034 according to McKinsey Global Institute. Despite a series of economic crises caused by the dwindling price of crude oil … Read More
Business and the Effort to Leave No One Behind
By Mabingue Ngom, Regional Director West Africa, UNFPA For years too many of us striving to improve the lives of fellow Africans have picked their focus – education or health, babies or mothers – and channeled their efforts in one direction. But in 2015, politicians and development partners came together and agreed it’s time for a new approach. Our work … Read More