Advocacy

Throughout the year, GHC led members in advocating with policymakers for robust U.S. global health budgets. Our efforts were instrumental in:

• Driving a 6.5% increase ($634 million) for FY22 Global Health Accounts
• Securing $75 million to address polio
• Mobilizing $700 million for global health security
• Ensuring a strong Replenishment pledge of $6 billion over three years to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

Although the final FY23 appropriations package is not yet finalized, we do know that GHC’s advocacy helped to ensure increases for global health in:

• The President’s Budget, which included a $7.46 million increase for global health programs above the FY22 enacted level, for a total of $10.5 billion
• The House, which proposed approximately $11 billion for global health programs, $1.1 billion above the FY22 enacted level
• The Senate, which proposed $10.5 billion for global health programs, $680 million above the FY22 enacted level

In addition, GHC supported civil society’s advocacy efforts by:

• In its role as a non-state actor, GHC has been participating in the WHO Intergovernmental Negotiating Board providing recommendations and comments to the Zero Draft of the Pandemic Preparedness and Response Accord
• Hosting a two-day summit, Elevating Civil Society and Community Voices in Global Health, in partnership with the Civil Society Engagement Mechanism of UHC2030
• Issuing five Advocacy in Motion (AIM) grants to eligible attendees of the CSO Summit. These grants were intended to support CSO advocacy, health equity, and amplify the voices of local and regional organizations. Grant recipients used this funding to increase advocacy on issues ranging from gender equity, ensuring health insurance for vulnerable groups, as well as health/mental health access for marginalized communities.

To achieve these successes, GHC:

• Conducted educational briefings for Hill staff on topics including ACT-A, the Global Financing Facility Health Workforce, Health Systems Strengthening, and the SIGHT Fund
• Held 55 Hill meetings with Members and staff in both the House and Senate
• Conducted more than 15 meetings with the Biden Administration across USAID, Health and Human Services, the National Security Council, and the State Department
• Held meetings on the margins of the 77th U.N. General Assembly
• Convened five advocacy and 11 community roundtables to ensure member alignment on messages, outreach, and requests
• Engaged in the process to revise and improve the International Health Regulations to help make the World Health Organization (WHO) stronger and more efficient
• Held regular meetings of the Working Group on Strengthening WHO Preparedness and Response to Health Emergencies, providing inputs and recommendations
• Provided briefings for GHC members and Congressional staff