Parliament is set to convene a high-level webinar on September 1, 2025, aimed at confronting the growing threats to the health and rights of women, children, and adolescents, particularly in the face of shrinking global development assistance.

The online forum, according to the post made by parliament on their official Facebook account on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, scheduled for noon, brings together lawmakers, civil society representatives, and development stakeholders in a timely dialogue focused on safeguarding gains made in reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH).

The webinar, organised under the auspices of Parliament, comes amid rising concern that reductions in external funding could derail hard-won progress in maternal and child health outcomes across Kenya and the wider region. The convening aims to mobilise political will, strengthen policy commitment, and foster multisectoral collaboration to protect vulnerable groups from the impact of aid cuts.

Participants will receive expert updates on the current status of development assistance for health, including the latest data and projections on how funding gaps are already impacting essential services for women and children. Speakers will also assess what these trends mean for Kenya’s ability to achieve key national and global health targets, such as those under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The webinar is expected to serve as a platform for parliamentarians to articulate priority areas for government action, including domestic resource mobilisation, policy reforms, and legislative oversight. Civil society voices will also take centre stage, highlighting the realities on the ground and raising urgent concerns from communities who rely on public health systems to survive and thrive.

Organisers of the event have emphasised the need for proactive and inclusive responses that leave no one behind, warning that without immediate interventions, the most vulnerable, especially pregnant women, newborns, adolescents, and those in underserved regions, stand to suffer the most.

Registration for the webinar is now open to all interested participants via Zoom.

The Parliament-led initiative underscores a growing recognition that protecting the health and rights of women and children is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic investment in Kenya’s future.