Second Independent Accountability Panel Report launched

The Independent Accountability Panel (IAP) launched its second report on Monday at UN Headquarters in New York. The theme of this year’s report was where’s the accountability to adolescents? Adolescents are 1.2 billion strong. This is in recognition of the fact that adolescents hold the central promise for achieving the equitable, sustainable world we all want.

The report titled TRANSFORMATIVE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ADOLESCENTS calls for swift paradigm shifts to transform accountability to propel progress forward for humanity under the Global Strategy and the SDGs. It also underscores that without independent accountability and citizen engagement, there can be no genuine accountability, and promises lose their meaning.

The report is an urgent call on all stakeholders to make adolescents visible, to count them in, and to invest in them now.

NGEC Chairperson Winfred Lichuma was among the IAP members who graced the launch in line with mandate from the UN Secretary-General.

In September 2015, the United Nations Secretary-General launched the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health to help further the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. To this end, the United Nations Secretary-General appointed the Every Woman Every Child’s Independent Accountability Panel (IAP).

The Panel provides an independent assessment of progress and challenges to help strengthen the response from the international health community and countries. The IAP is comprised of distinguished panellists from diverse regions and backgrounds that range from human rights experts to humanitarian leaders to statisticians.

Other IAP members are Carmen Barroso (Brazil) and Kul Chandra Gautam (Nepal), Co-Chairs; Brenda Killen (Ireland); Pali Lehohla (South Africa); Elizabeth Mason (United Kingdom); Vinod K. Paul (India); Giorgi Pkhakadze (Georgia); Dakshitha Wickremarathne (Sri Lanka); and Alicia Ely Yamin (United States of America).

Photo: NGEC Chairperson Winfred Lichuma with Mrs. Graça Machel, Chair, PMNCH Board, and Member of the High-level Steering Group for Every Woman, Every Child.