Frequently Asked Questions on the 2027 UHC HLM

A United Nations (UN) High-Level Meeting (HLM) is convened by the UN General Assembly (UNGA), the main decision-making body of the UN representing all 193 UN Member States. 

In this forum, Member States discuss and work together on a wide array of international issues covered by the UN Charter, such as development, peace and security, international law, etc. Agreement to hold a HLM on a specialized topic is taken in exceptional circumstances through a UN resolution, with the purpose of reaching agreement on cooperation measures and solutions on important global issues among Heads of State and governments. 

UN HLMs present an opportunity to move health discussions beyond the sole domain of Health Ministries and to elevate health to the level of Heads of State while engaging other sectors, such as Ministries of Finance, for coordinated action. 

Since the first Special Session on HIV/AIDS in 2001, the UN has called for various HLMs devoted to health issues, including HIV/AIDS (2006, 2011, 2016, 2021, 2026), Non-Communicable Diseases (2011, 2014, 2018, 2025), Antimicrobial Resistance (2016, 2024), Tuberculosis (2018, 2023), Universal Health Coverage (2019, 2023), and Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response (2023, 2026). 

The UN HLM on UHC in 2019 and 2023 reaffirmed the political commitment from Heads of State and Governments to prioritize UHC. The HLMs resulted in two Political Declarations on UHC (2019: A/RES/74/2; and 2023: A/RES/78/4), negotiated by Member States and approved by Heads of State and Government. Together, these two Political Declarations have guided global efforts to provide universal access to affordable and quality health-care services, in line with SDG target 3.8. They recognize the primary responsibility of governments to urgently and significantly scale up efforts to accelerate the transition towards UHC, and that effective and financially sustainable implementation of UHC is based on a resilient and responsive health system. 

In 2019 and 2023, UHC2030 convened a powerful movement of diverse voices around a common advocacy agenda, the Key Asks and the Action Agenda respectively, which fed into the Political Declarations. 

In the 2023 Political Declaration on UHC (A/RES/78/4), Heads of State and Government committed to convene another UN HLM on UHC in 2027 in New York to undertake a comprehensive review on the implementation of the 2023 Political Declaration and to identify gaps and solutions to accelerate progress towards the achievement of UHC by 2030. 

On 10 July 2026, UN member states adopted the resolution: Scope, modalities, format and organization of the high-level meeting on universal health coverage (A/RES/80/XXX). In this resolution, it was decided to hold a one-day UN HLM on UHC during the 2027 UNGA. The resolution recognized that the world is off track in making significant progress towards achieving universal health coverage by 2030 with approximately 4.5 billion people still not covered by essential health services and 2 billion people experiencing catastrophic or impoverishing health spending, while noting the different levels of progress in achieving UHC may vary according to national contexts. 

As part of the 2030 SDGs (A/RES/70/1), all countries have committed to try to achieve UHC by 2030, including ensuring financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all. 

The meeting will take place at UN Headquarters in New York in September 2027 during the general debate of the Assembly at its eighty-second session (exact date to be determined).

At the high-level meeting, Heads of State and Government will approve a concise and action-oriented Political Declaration, agreed in advance by consensus through intergovernmental negotiations. It will be submitted by the President of the General Assembly for adoption by the UNGA. This Declaration will endorse and further build on the 2019 and 2023 Political Declarations. 

The 2027 UN HLM is an opportunity to build on previous UN HLMs and initiatives and to reaffirm the global political commitment to achieving UHC. This meeting will be a major opportunity to mobilize the highest political support for UHC as the cornerstone to achieving SDG3, unite all health stakeholders together under a common theme and commit to action-oriented goals on UHC for 2030. 

The Modalities Resolution for the 2027 UN HLM on UHC outlines the agenda, which includes:  

• An opening segment from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., featuring statements by the 82nd President of the General Assembly, the UN Secretary-General, the Director General of the World Health Organization, the President of the World Bank Group and an eminent high-level champion of UHC;
• A plenary segment from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., where Member States will deliver their statements;
• Two multi-stakeholder panels from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the other from 3 p.m. to 5:00 p.m; and
• A closing segment from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. 

The Modalities Resolution also requests the President of the General Assembly, with the support of WHO and other relevant partners, to organize and preside over a one-day interactive multi-stakeholder hearing before the end of May 2027. 

As part of the preparatory process for the high-level meeting, the hearing will involve the active participation of appropriate senior-level representatives of Member States and members of UN specialized agencies, as well as: observers of the General Assembly, parliamentarians, local government representatives, relevant UN entities, NGOs in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, invited civil society organizations, philanthropic foundations, academia, medical associations, the private sector and broader communities. 

It will ensure the participation and voices of women, children, youth, Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent and people with disabilities, as part of the preparatory process for the high-level meeting.

The theme of the UHC HLM is: Universal Health Coverage: accessible and affordable health for all by 2030. The panel discussion themes are:  

• Panel 1: Accelerating multisectoral coordination and action to ensure equitable access to quality health services
• Panel 2: Scaling up adequate health financing for sustainable service delivery, efficiency and capacity 

The UN HLM will be organized under the direction of the President of the General Assembly, in collaboration with WHO. The UN HLM preparatory process, including the multi-stakeholder hearing, is also supported by contributions from UHC2030 and other relevant initiatives. 

The President of the General Assembly will appoint two co-facilitators,  who are Permanent Representatives to the UN, to lead the intergovernmental negotiations on the political declaration.  

In the lead up to the 2027 UN HLM, UHC2030 is convening a powerful movement of diverse voices around a common advocacy agenda, building on the Action Agenda for 2023, which will feed into the 2027 political declaration. 

Learn more about the Task Force

Member States are encouraged to participate at the highest possible level, preferably at the level of Heads of State and Government. Observers of the General Assembly and other stakeholders should also be represented at the highest possible level.

Member States and members of the UN specialized agencies are encouraged to include in their delegations ministers from all relevant ministries, as appropriate, as well as representatives such as parliamentarians, mayors and governors, representatives of civil society, including NGOs, Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent, persons with disabilities, community organizations and faith-based organizations, academic institutions and the private sector with expertise in universal health coverage, philanthropic foundations, and universal health coverage networks, with due regard for gender balance and geographical representation. 

NGOs with relevant expertise that are in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council are invited to register with the UN Secretariat to attend the HLM and participate in the multi-stakeholder panels and the interactive multi-stakeholder hearing. 

Stakeholders not in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council will be invited to apply for accreditation to attend the HLM and participate in the multi-stakeholder panels. This includes representatives of other relevant NGOs, civil society organizations, relevant medical organizations, academic institutions, the scientific community and the private sector. 

Details about the registration process will be provided as it becomes available. 

In the meantime, keep an eye on our 2027 UHC HLM webpage, sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest updates, and follow us on X, Bluesky and Linkedin. Civil society members and organizations are encouraged to join and follow our Civil Society Engagement Mechanism as well.