More than 100 World Health Organization offices joined governments, communities, health workers, partner agencies and civil society groups this week in a sweeping global push to defend maternal and newborn health services, turning World Health Day 2025 into one of the most visible advocacy moments of the year for women's and children's health.
The campaign, organized around the theme "Healthier beginnings, hopeful futures," was designed to draw attention to the fragile state of maternal and newborn care at a time when funding pressures are increasingly threatening essential health systems. WHO said the unprecedented mobilization underscored the need to protect services that save mothers and babies, particularly in countries where health systems are already stretched by conflict, displacement, disease outbreaks and economic strain.
Across the African Region, the response was broad and highly localized, with each country office tailoring its message to national realities while reinforcing the same central warning: maternal and newborn health cannot be allowed to slip down the global agenda.
In Angola, WHO joined UNICEF, UNFPA and partners for a dynamic Facebook Live event and media campaign, using digital platforms to widen the reach of the message. Burundi marked the day with a 10-day celebration that included refugee clinic visits, school disease screenings and maternal health workshops, reflecting the intersection of maternal care with displacement and community health. In the Central African Republic, a presidential-level celebration launched a maternal health roadmap, backed by nationwide media coverage that elevated the issue to the highest political level.
Chad mobilized 250 UN volunteers for the campaign, culminating in a ministerial ceremony and celebrations in refugee camps, while the Republic of the Congo staged a high-profile Walk the Talk event with the Regional Director to launch a maternal death management system. Elsewhere, Comoros held a joint event with the Directorate of Family Health, and Côte d'Ivoire spotlighted the reproductive health of disabled women through exhibitions and data showcases, bringing a frequently overlooked population into the center of the conversation.
Eritrea combined knowledge competitions with community visits to maternal waiting homes led by the Minister of Health. Eswatini organized community dialogues on maternal issues alongside strategic media placements, while The Gambia used national radio and television to carry commemorative messages into homes across the country. Guinea paired nationwide vaccination campaigns with free consultations and high-level advocacy, and Lesotho engaged the Prime Minister in a community event that was complemented by university debates and a scientific symposium.
Liberia held a Walk the Talk event with the Ministry of Health, and Madagascar mixed official ceremonies with free health care services, video broadcasts and even a Zumba fitness event, underscoring the effort to make health advocacy visible, participatory and accessible. Malawi delivered a bilingual media campaign featuring the Minister of Health speaking directly to maternal and neonatal health priorities, while Mali showcased perinatal clinic facilities through an official ceremony and extensive media coverage.
Mauritania blended cultural performances with scientific panels on reproductive health in a high-impact ceremony, and in Nigeria, WHO, the Ministry of Health and partners organized a walk aimed at improving maternal and newborn health, ending preventable deaths and prioritizing women's long-term well-being. In South Africa, impact videos and joint statements with the National Department of Health were distributed across media platforms, while Uganda published human-interest stories alongside policy dialogues and community health check-ups.
In Sierra Leone, the First Lady visited a maternal hospital and diplomatic delegations toured health monitoring facilities, adding political visibility to the issue. Zambia released a presidential video message highlighting maternal health, further demonstrating how the campaign was being used to secure attention from national leaders. In South Sudan, where ongoing security concerns limited public gatherings, WHO said no public events were held, but advocacy messages were still disseminated to keep the issue in view.
The scale of the campaign reflects a growing recognition that maternal and newborn health is not only a medical issue but also a test of political will, financing and equity. WHO's coordinated actions across more than 100 offices suggest an effort to move beyond symbolic observance and toward sustained pressure on governments and donors to protect frontline services.
That urgency is sharpened by the broader funding environment. Health systems in many countries are facing competing demands and constrained budgets, and maternal and newborn services are often among the first to be weakened when resources tighten. WHO's World Health Day campaign sought to reverse that pattern by linking public advocacy with policy dialogue, media outreach and community engagement.
The message from this year's observance was clear: healthy beginnings are not guaranteed, and hopeful futures depend on whether countries can keep maternal and newborn care accessible, funded and resilient. By turning World Health Day into a global rally, WHO and its partners aimed to remind leaders that every delay in protecting these services carries a human cost measured in preventable deaths, lifelong complications and lost potential.