US$40 billion pledge at UN Summit

US$40 billion pledge at UN Summit for women’s and children’s health

27 September 2010: $40 billion dollars pledged over the next 5 years by governments, civil society, international organisations and foundations for the new Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health is welcome and promising news for the 16 million women and children whose lives can potentially be saved through this new initiative, says Family Planning International.

The Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health was launched last week at the UN Summit in New York. It was initiated by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to accelerate progress on Millennium Development Goals 4 (reduce child mortality) and 5 (improve maternal health) to be achieved by 2015. Millennium Development Goal 5 is the goal making least progress.

“We know what works to save women’s and children’s lives, and we know that women and children are critical to all of the MDGs,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. “Today we are witnessing the kind of leadership we have long needed.”

Family Planning International is hopeful that some of this newly pledged funding will reach the Pacific.

“There is certainly a need for more investment in women’s health in the Pacific. Five women every day die in the Pacific due to pregnancy or childbirth related causes and there are very high rates of sexually transmissible infections says Sumi Subramaniam, Director of International Development at Family Planning International.

“Unfortunately very little progress has been made since the Millennium Development Goals were created to increase the number of births attended by skilled health personnel or to expand the use of contraceptives in the region. It is high time the women of the Pacific were prioritised.”

ENDS

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