Global Health

Healthy families are the foundation for healthy communities, and through the Sustainable Development Goals, the world has made a promise of universal health coverage and health for all.

Yet each year, more than 5.2 million children under age 5 die from preventable causes, and over 800 women and adolescent girls die due to complications during pregnancy and childbirth every day. Since our founding, the UN Foundation has worked to support the World Health Organization, UN agencies, and partners that deliver vital services to improve health globally and forge new and dynamic partnerships for health.

We also work to anticipate emerging health challenges like pandemic preparedness and antimicrobial resistance, as well as health security.

Fighting COVID-19

The world has never seen a health crisis like COVID-19. In early 2020, as the pandemic spread at lightning speed, the World Health Organization reached out to the UN Foundation to help build momentum and support to respond to the global emergency.

LEARN MORE

LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND

Achieving health equity and reaching the most vulnerable must remain at the center of our efforts. We must #UniteForHealth to deliver on the SDGs.

Read more

NEW PARTNERSHIPS FOR HEALTH

Improving health outcomes depends on bold thinking, innovation, and collaboration by all partners.

Read more

We mobilize resources and expertise to improve health for everyone, everywhere by:

We work to support WHO and strengthen its engagement with civil society. We are a longstanding partner to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and a founding member of the Measles & Rubella Initiative. Additionally, we are proud to support the International Pathogen Surveillance Network Catalytic Grant Fund – a WHO initiative aimed at pathogen genomic surveillance in low- and middle-income countries. We also work with other partners – including key UN health agencies and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance – to prevent disease, and help women, children, and families survive and thrive.

Contact Us

Cecilia Mundaca Shah

Director, Global Health

cmshah@unfoundation.org

Lori Sloate

Senior Director, Global Health

lsloate@unfoundation.org

Holly Greb

Senior Officer, Global Health, Polio and Cross-Cutting Initiatives

hgreb@unfoundation.org

Explore More Issues