New York:South Africa has emphasized the need for stronger protection of financing dedicated to the health of women, children, and adolescents. The call comes amid concerns that diminishing development assistance, rising debt burdens, and constrained fiscal space are threatening progress made in global health. According to South African Government News Agency, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola conveyed this message while representing President Cyril Ramaphosa at a high-level Global Leaders Network (GLN) event during the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York. The meeting, co-hosted by South Africa, Spain, Tanzania, and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, focused on sustaining investments in health for women, children, and adolescents despite fiscal challenges. Minister Lamola stated that since its inception in 2023, the GLN has worked to prioritize health for women, children, and adolescents on the global agenda, encouraging nations to transform com mitments into actionable plans and protect health financing. He stressed that reducing maternal, child, and adolescent mortality requires sustained investment and that universal health coverage and economic progress are contingent on safeguarding resources for these groups. Lamola highlighted that the global health financing situation is deteriorating, with official development assistance projected to decline by over 23% by 2025. This reduction is straining procurement systems and health workforces in low- and middle-income countries, challenging equitable access to essential health commodities. The GLN's agenda emphasizes closing financing gaps and maintaining health-related Sustainable Development Goals. Recent initiatives include a webinar series on domestic resource mobilization, which engaged over 900 participants worldwide. Discussions revealed that countries are exploring innovative approaches to health financing, including underutilized options like debt-for-health swaps. The GLN has also transitio ned from dialogue to action through its Financial Diplomacy Series, which involves collaborations between Ministries of Health and Finance, investors, and technical partners to develop health program financing plans. In recent months, Liberia, Kenya, Sierra Leone, and South Africa have formulated business cases, with representatives meeting investors in New York to advance financing plans. Additionally, the Public-Private Partnership Health Accelerator, developed by South Africa and Botswana, aims to bridge financing gaps by uniting diverse sectors and was recognized as a G20 legacy project. Lamola reiterated the urgency of protecting resources essential for sustaining health services and called on governments to safeguard and expand allocations for women's, children's, and adolescent health, ensuring spending aligns with outcomes. World Health Organisation Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the necessity of shielding health investments from fiscal cuts, noting significant reductions in maternal and child mortality over the past decades. He urged leaders to uphold health financing commitments during fiscal pressures, particularly for sexual and reproductive health services in humanitarian contexts. United Nations Population Fund Executive Director Dr. Diene Keita addressed the ongoing financing gap affecting women's health, urging investment in frontline health workers and maternal health services. The GLN event was part of South Africa's agenda at UNGA81 to promote multilateral cooperation and country-led approaches to health financing.