Munya Mandipaza – Executive Director
In August, we continued to advance our work on several critical fronts. In time for the International Youth Day, INERELA+ Mozambique and Zimbabwe spotlighted the voices and lived realities of youth through organising an open day where young people engaged with Religious Leaders and key stakeholders.
At TICAD in Yokohama, President Cyril Ramaphosa – chair of the Global Leaders Network (GLN) powerfully reaffirmed the moral imperative to end preventable deaths of women, children, and adolescents. He emphasized placing Women’s, Children’s, and Adolescents’ Health (WCAH) at the centre of universal health coverage, increasing investment, and safeguarding sexual and reproductive health rights amid global uncertainty.
The Seventy-fifth Session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa (RC75) witnessed robust engagement on accelerating progress in the health and well-being of women, children and adolescents (WCAH). A total of 43 statements were delivered – 30 from Member States and 13 from partners – making it one of the most engaging sessions of the meeting and reflecting the urgency of investing in WCAH on the continent.
Every day roughly 800 women and newborn die due to preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. Africa which accounts for 70% of global maternal deaths and around 55% of child deaths bears the burden of most of these deaths. While the continent has made important progress between 2000 and 2023 – the maternal mortality ratio declined by 40%, from 727 to 442 per 100,000 live births, neonatal mortality fell from 39 to 26 per 1,000 live births and under-five mortality dropped from 149 to 67 per 1,000 live births – progress remains uneven and insufficient to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2030 targets. African women and children face a much higher risk of dying than women and children in other regions, a tragic reality. These preventable deaths are compounded by persistent gaps in access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services, which are essential to safeguarding the lives and dignity of women, children and adolescents. Funding cuts, misinformation, and rights pushback threaten decades of hard-won progress.
The month of September also featured our participation in the Dutch Round table dialogue where we shared our experiences about the impact of USAID funding cuts and information on how to improve women’s children’s and adolescent health.
Building Stronger Partnerships Through Shared Learning – Faith To Action Network Convention
From The 23rdto the 25th of September we came together in Machakos County in Kenya for an inspiring weeklong of reflection, knowledge-sharing, and strengthened solidarity through the Faith to Action Network collaborative convention. This was a vital moment of renewal which brought faith actors together to strengthen partnerships, amplify voices for justice and reinforce the Network’s mission of advancing gender equality, inclusion and community resilience across regions. It was an opportunity to exchange insights, reflect on our journeys, connect, share experiences, and learn how we can better collaborate for greater, more sustainable impact.
This event reinforced three key lessons:
✅There is always a way to find common ground and work together.
✅No single organization is an island; we can always complement each other’s efforts.
✅The combined impact is immense. As the saying goes, “Two are better than one.”
Find out more about F2A Network here.
Together, we should step into 2026 with purpose, unity, and a renewed commitment to accountability, equity, and action.
In partnership and solidarity
Munya Mandipaza – INERELA+ Executive Director