Health, Nutrition, Water and Sanitation
Children, adolescents and young people — particularly girls and young women — survive, grow and thrive through fair access to quality health, nutrition, and water, sanitation and hygiene services.
Our focus is on strengthening systems, removing barriers to access, and ensuring that services are inclusive, age-appropriate, and responsive to the diverse needs of those we support.
Why girls’ health matters now
Girls’ health and wellbeing are under growing threat – from weak health systems and food insecurity to unsafe water and sanitation. These challenges hit girls and young women hardest, especially during adolescence, pregnancy, crises and displacement. We stand with girls to protect their health, dignity and futures.
Our work puts girls and young women first, supporting them at every stage of life. We focus on strengthening health systems, removing barriers to access and making sure services respond to girls’ real needs – their age, gender and lived realities. We do not provide medical treatment directly. Instead, we work with communities, governments and partners to improve the quality, reach and safety of existing services.
We support maternal, newborn and child health by helping girls and young women access antenatal care, safe delivery and postnatal services, alongside essential care for newborns and children. We also prioritise adolescent health and mental wellbeing, especially in humanitarian and crisis settings, recognising the vital role mental health plays in resilience and long‑term wellbeing.
Girls leading healthier futures
Good nutrition is central to health. We work to prevent malnutrition and promote healthy diets through nutrition education, support for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, and links to livelihoods and climate‑resilient food systems that improve household food access.
Access to clean water and safe sanitation is essential for health, dignity and equality. Poor WASH conditions increase illness, disrupt education and place extra burdens on girls during menstruation, pregnancy and caregiving. By improving WASH, we help create safer schools, healthier communities and better health outcomes.
Across all our work, girls and young people play an active role — shaping solutions, speaking out and leading change. By integrating health, nutrition and WASH, we help girls stay healthy, stay in school and build stronger futures for themselves and their communities.
Healthy girls build stronger futures for themselves, their communities and the world.
Categories: Sexual and reproductive health and rights