San Salvador, El Salvador, July 13, 2026 (PAHO) — The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Technical Secretariat of the Council of Ministers of Women of Central America and the Dominican Republic (STM-COMMCA) signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen regional cooperation in favor of the health of women, adolescents, and girls, and to support countries in reducing health inequalities.
While countries of Central America and the Dominican Republic have achieved progress in health, challenges persist, including maternal mortality, gender-based violence, and barriers to accessing health services, especially for women in situations of greater vulnerability.
In this context, the agreement establishes a framework for collaboration to support countries in designing and implementing public policies that promote women's comprehensive health, utilizing approaches based on gender, human rights, and interculturality.
Joint actions will include priority areas such as sexual and reproductive health, the reduction of maternal mortality, comprehensive care for survivors of gender-based violence, and equitable access to essential health services. Special attention will also be paid to the needs of women in situations of vulnerability and human mobility, including migration.
Furthermore, the memorandum will promote the exchange of experiences and knowledge among countries, the strengthening of institutional capacities, and greater coordination between the health and gender equality sectors of the member countries of the Central American Integration System (SICA).
Participants in the signing ceremony included the Director of PAHO, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa; the PAHO Representative in El Salvador, Dr. Marcelo Korc; the Executive President of the Salvadoran Institute for the Development of Women (ISDEMU) and Minister of COMMCA for El Salvador, Yanci Salmerón; as well as the Technical Secretary of Women of COMMCA, Michelle Godoy.
"This agreement represents an important step toward strengthening regional cooperation on priority health and development issues. It will allow us to promote political and technical dialogue, strengthen institutional capacities, and advance policies that contribute to reducing the health inequalities affecting women, adolescents, and girls," stated PAHO Director Dr. Barbosa.
“We cannot achieve the sustainable development of the region without guaranteeing the comprehensive health of women. Through this joint agenda with PAHO, we will promote evidence-based policies using disaggregated data and address critical determinants such as the care economy and violence prevention. We are confident that health with equality for the SICA region will be the greatest legacy of this strategic alliance,” Godoy noted.
With this alliance, the expectation is to strengthen health systems so they are more inclusive, equitable, and capable of responding to the needs of women, adolescents, and girls through coordinated regional action between the health and gender equality sectors.
