On April 9, 2026, Countdown to 2030 will host a webinar marking two decades of global monitoring of women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health. Under the theme “From Global Accountability to Shaping the Future of Health Data Systems”, the event will bring together experts to discuss the future of health data systems amid rapid technological and institutional change.

The International Center for Equity in Health (ICEH), a key partner since the initiative’s inception, has helped shape how health inequalities and progress are measured and interpreted worldwide. The initiative emerged from the Child Survival Series published in The Lancet in 2003, led by Cesar Victora. Since its first global report in 2005, Countdown has become a central platform for monitoring reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH).

Over the past 20 years, the partnership between Countdown and ICEH has driven advances in the field through the development of equity-focused monitoring tools, methodological innovations in coverage and inequality metrics, and sustained investments in country analytical capacity—particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

The 20-year milestone comes at a time of transition in global health data systems. Traditional household survey programmes face operational and funding constraints, while demand is growing for disaggregated, timely, and more interconnected data. At the same time, debates on data sovereignty, system sustainability, and the role of automation and artificial intelligence are gaining prominence. In this context, Countdown is evolving from a reporting-focused initiative into a strategic actor supporting sustainable, country-led data systems.

Event details

April 9, 2026 | 13:00–14:30 (GMT)

Registration: ZOOM