WHO consultation · Deadline 18 October 2026
WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health – PMNCH have launched a global call for priority topics on the health and well-being of women, newborns, children and adolescents beyond 2030.
The deadline for submissions is 18 October 2026.
The consultation will help develop a shared evidence base for future global discussions and action. The process is expected to result in thematic article series and other analytical outputs addressing the challenges and opportunities that will shape women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health after 2030.
Read the official call on the WHO website
What is the consultation seeking?
The organizations are inviting suggestions for priority topics across the full spectrum of women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health and well-being, including sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health.
The consultation is particularly interested in topics that:
- identify emerging issues, future risks and opportunities;
- address important evidence, policy or implementation gaps;
- examine the effectiveness of interventions, policies and strategies;
- consider social, economic, environmental, nutritional, legal, political or commercial determinants of health;
- explore health-system enablers such as primary health care, the health workforce, financing, supply systems and digital transformation;
- consider future monitoring and accountability frameworks; or
- examine the health, social and economic returns of investing in women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health.
This is a call for suggestions for analytical topics. It is not a call for research proposals or grant applications.
The planned work will rely primarily on existing evidence, data, experience, modelling and case studies rather than substantial new primary research.
Who can contribute?
The consultation welcomes contributions from:
- governments;
- civil society organizations;
- academic and research institutions;
- health professional associations;
- youth networks;
- existing partnerships; and
- other stakeholders working on women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health.
Individuals and organizations can make more than one suggestion.
Submitting a topic does not guarantee that it will be commissioned or that a nominated contributor will be selected. All suggestions will be considered by a multi-agency Technical Working Group.
Relevance to IBFAN’s work
The consultation is relevant to IBFAN members and partners working to protect maternal, infant and young child health, promote and support breastfeeding, and strengthen implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and subsequent World Health Assembly resolutions.
The call explicitly recognizes the importance of nutritional, legal, political and commercial determinants of health, alongside policy implementation, health systems, digital transformation, monitoring and accountability.
It therefore provides an opportunity for civil society organizations and public health advocates to ensure that their evidence, experience and expertise are considered in the discussions that will shape the global health agenda beyond 2030.
How to take part
Participants will be asked to provide:
- the proposed priority topic and its principal thematic focus;
- a short justification;
- an indicative outline of the proposed analysis;
- the names of individuals, institutions or partnerships that could potentially lead or coordinate the work; and
- basic information about the person or organization making the submission.
Potential contributors can be suggested without any obligation or guarantee that they will participate in the subsequent analytical work.
Deadline: 18 October 2026
SHARE A PRIORITY TOPIC – ONLINE FORM
For further information, contact Dr Per Ashorn at ashornp@who.int
