b'Soroptimist InternationalReport for the High-Level Political Forumtheworldwill continuetosufferfromCOVID-19.increase in both maternal and infant mortality and Womenandgirls,alreadyareatgreaterriskofteenage pregnancies due to thelack of services. vpoverty, gender-based violence, lack of education,There are countries where local sports teams are and other inequalities and will be left behind. If thisallowed to train in-person, but women must give weretohappen,theglobalcommunity,andinbirthwithouttheirpartnersorchosensupport, particular countries who are not ensuring the fairthosewithdisabilitiesaredeniedtheircarersor distributionofCOVID-19vaccinations,willbechaperonestoattendappointments,and responsibleforacontinuinghealthcrisisandfortranslators are not allowed to provide their services. drivingworseninggenderinequality.Allpeople,Thismeanswomenandgirlsarereceiving regardless of where they live or their income, musthealthcareinterventionsthattheydonot have access to a vaccine as quickly as possible. Theunderstandandcannotconsentto.Additionally, COVID-19pandemichasdemonstratedthethere is increasing evidence to show that women interconnectednessofourworld.Nationalself- and older people are more likely to suffer from long interestdoes notandwill notcontain COVID-19.COVID,whereacycleofCOVIDandadditional Multilateralism is needed as COVID-19 will continuesymptomshavereoccurredovermonths. tothreatenallcountriesunlessitisaddressedPreliminary results from onestudy found women equally across all countries. Fair vaccine distributionunder 50 were seven times more likely than men of is not only vital to addressing inequalities, but it isthe same age to experience long COVID even seven oneofthemosteffectivewaystoaddressthemonthsafterhospitaltreatment. vi Anotherlarger pandemic and its unequal impacts. study showed women were most effected by long COVID, with a significant proportion reporting that This year, as the HLPF examines progress on SDG 3they had a new disability. viiIt will take many years to on ensure healthy lives and promote well-being fortrulyknowthehealth impactsofCOVID-19upon all at all ages, it is impossible to ignore that we arewomen, but while we continue to focus on COVID it in the midst of a global health crisis. While moreisvitalthatotheraspectsofhealthcarearenot men die as a result of COVID-19, women also face aneglected.Evenduringapandemicthereisno myriad of negative health outcomes due to COVID- reason to move backwards on achievements made 19asresponsestothepandemicaffectmedicalinmaternalandinfanthealth,sexualand provisionmorewidely.Thereallocationofreproductive health, cancer screenings, and in other resourcesandchangingprioritieshaveseenareasofhealth.Ensuringquality,humanrights-declining quality in healthcare related into sexualbasedhealthcareforallmustbeapriority, andreproductivehealthservices,includingespecially as there is such a high focus on healthcare maternalhealthservices. iv Therehasbeenansystems right now. The Role of the High-Level Political ForumTheHigh-LevelPoliticalForum(HLPF)providesakeyopportunitytoreviewprogresstothe achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is vital that all of those involved in the HLPF, states, international organisations, the private sector and NGOS and CSOs, reflect on their actives with a critical lens. This reflection has become all the more essential during the COVID-19 pandemic and is fundamental to making sustainable development actions and policies effective.Throughworkingwithcommunities,civilsocietyorganisationsplayakeyrolein identifying gaps in implementationit is important to continuously ask, who is not being included in development efforts and who is not fully benefiting from development efforts? Too often, women and girls are being left behind. 4'