Stronger Regulation of the Private Sector Needed to Ensure Accountability for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health

Reference Summary (Webpage)

Abstract

This reference summary presents key information from a report by the Independent Accountability Panel (IAP) examining the role of the private sector in global health accountability for women, children, and adolescents. The report highlights that while private sector actors play an increasingly significant role in health service delivery, financing, and innovation, their accountability remains insufficiently defined and weakly enforced. Despite notable global progress in maternal and child health, major inequities persist across and within countries, with vulnerable populations disproportionately affected. The report identifies critical gaps in regulation, transparency, and independent oversight, emphasizing that profit-driven models can conflict with the realization of health as a fundamental human right. It calls for stronger government stewardship, enforceable regulatory frameworks, improved data systems, and inclusive accountability mechanisms. The analysis reflects the work of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Independent Accountability Panel for Every Woman, Every Child, Every Adolescent (IAP: Alicia Ely Yamin, Carmen Barroso, Kul Chandra Gautam, Brenda Killen, Pali Lehohla, Winfred Lichuma, Elizabeth Mason, Giorgi Pkhakadze, and Dakshitha Wickremarathne), reinforcing that achieving equitable health outcomes under the Sustainable Development Goals requires robust, independent, and system-wide accountability across both public and private sectors.