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Belgium

Queen Mathilde speaks at The Missing Billion in UHC event at the New York Public Library

Queen Mathilde of the Belgians spoke at The Missing Billion in UHC event in New York City’s New York Public Library yesterday.

Her speech focused on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2030 and the availability of reliable and affordable healthcare around the globe; the Queen of the Belgians is an SDGs Advocate.

She opened her speech by saying, “Agenda 2030 and the SDG’s have been conceived in order to leave no one behind. As we move forward in their implementation, we need to constantly make sure that our policies take into account the needs of the most vulnerable.”

The Queen continued by stressing, “This means designing solutions that respond to the particular situation of vulnerable people, whether it is poverty, lack of access to education, disease, developmental delays, disabilities or mental health issues.

“The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities underlines that, and I quote, “persons with disabilities have the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health without discrimination on the basis of disability.”

She spoke of how distressing it is to see healthcare so out of reach for those in developing countries, adding that “all indicators point to the fact that, globally, we still have a long way to go before persons with disabilities, especially the poorest and most affected, can enjoy equal access to healthcare.

“Universal health coverage should be what its name says: universal.

“Affordability remains crucial and progress in accessing proper health services will remain difficult without adequate financial arrangements.”

Queen Mathilde’s full speech can be read here.

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⁣ ⁣ Une première rencontre avec M. Achim Steiner, directeur général du PNUD, conclut cette participation à la 74eme AGNU. UNDP est un partenaire clé dans la mise en œuvre des ODD dans les pays en développement.⁣ —————⁣ Eerste ontmoeting met dhr. Achim Steiner, algemeen directeur van het UNDP, sluit dit bezoek aan de 74ste AV van de VN af. UNDP is een belangrijke partner voor de implementatie van de SDG’s in ontwikkelingslanden.⁣ —————⁣ First meeting with Mr. Achim Steiner, administrator of UNDP, which concludes the series of meeting in the margin of this 74th AGUN. UNDP is a key partner for the implementation of the SDGs in developing countries.⁣ ⁣ @UNDP @unitednations @unicefbelgium @unicef @belgiummfa #SDG #GlobalGoals #BelgianRoyalPalace #MonarchieBe

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Queen Mathilde also met with Achim Steiner, administrator of UNDP, yesterday to discuss the SDGs.

The Queen has been in New York to attend events and meetings surrounding the 74th UN General Assembly where King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and King Abdullah II of Jordan have spoken.

About author

Brittani is from Tennessee, USA. She is a political scientist and historian after graduating with a degree in the topics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in December 2014. She also holds a master's degree from Northeastern University. She enjoys reading and researching all things regarding the royals of the world. She's been researching, reading, and writing on royalty for over a decade. She became Europe Editor in October 2016, and then Deputy Editor in January 2019, and has been featured on several podcasts, radio shows, news broadcasts and websites including Global News Canada, ABC News Australia, WION India and BBC World News.