The 79th World Health Assembly is convening, bringing together global health leaders at a time of mounting pressure on international health systems. The meeting comes amid declining global health funding, rising geopolitical tensions, and growing disputes over sexual and reproductive health and rights within multilateral policy spaces.

At the centre of discussions are urgent questions about whether current health reforms are adequately protecting the world’s most vulnerable, particularly women, children and adolescents, and what more needs to be done to secure sustainable financing and stronger global cooperation.

One of the key voices at this year’s discussions is Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand and Board Chair of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH), speaking to Mpho Sithole.