In 2011, the South-South Awards will honor governments, organizations, and individuals, who have succeeded in scaling-up and replicating the implementation of the health-related Millennium Development Goals and beyond at the national level. This year, the preparatory committee has recommended Digital Health 4 Digital Development as the main theme for the awards.

Why Digital Health 4 Digital Development?

The year 2010 proved a key milestone in the United Nations’ family efforts to accelerate progress on Millennium Development Goals 4&5 for Child Mortality and Maternal Health in both urban and rural environments with the launch in September of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s Global Strategy for Women & Children’s Health. This strategy was supported by contributions from a number of Working Groups including an Innovation Working Group, as well as the launch of the Commission on Information & Accountability for Women and Children’s Health. Meanwhile, the multi-stakeholder Broadband Commission for Digital Development delivered its final report to the UN Secretary General and Heads of States and Government attending the 64th General Assembly.

The year 2011 now promises to build on this progress with both the High Level Meetings (HLMs) during the 65th and 66th sessions of the UN General Assembly to review the Implementation of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS and the Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS (June 8-9, 2011), and the first High Level Event on the prevention and control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) (September 19-20, 2011).