Reprinted with permission from Women Deliver’s Invest in Women blog.
During the Sunday UNGASS official side event, “Accelerating Action on the MDGs,” delegates were encouraged to focus on commitments to the MDGs and the synergies enhanced by collaboration, networking and funding. Dr. Fred Sai, honorary co-chair of the Women Deliver 2010 conference asked the delegates to allocate “at least 30 seconds of their five minute speeches at the UNGASS to focus on your commitment to women.”
In the opening plenary at the UN MDG Summit, heads of state from around the world presented their countries’ groundbreaking progress on MDG5 and affirmed their commitment to improving maternal health, increasing women’s empowerment and expanding family planning. Out of the 70 countries that spoke at the Monday and Tuesday morning plenaries, over half of the countries explicitly mentioned maternal health and women’s empowerment. Three international agencies emphasized the need to bolster commitments and resources for investing in women and girls.
Here are some highlights from the country statements:
Monday, 20 September 2010:
- The representative from the UNDP, chair of the UN Development Group, called for cost-effective investments in maternal and child health to avoid many unnecessary deaths. We need to put countries on a fast track to meeting the MDGs. We will call on NGOs, foundations, private sector, donor countries. Let’s just do it.
- Minister for Home Affairs of Nepal affirmed that Nepal is on the right track with progress on MDG 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7. Universal access to reproductive health and some targets under MDG 7 will not be met without further commitment by the international community. The rights of women are priority, including the right to reproductive health.
- Minister of Health for the Republic of Nigeria congratulated the Secretary General for launching the Global Strategy for Maternal and Child Health. Maternal health has been the most challenging but investment has yielded progress—a cause for which we should redouble our efforts.
- President of the Republic of Malawi discussed government constructions and upgrading of health facilities especially in rural areas and training personnel to improve maternal health services. Malawi is making progress towards gender equality with women holding more offices than ever before.
- Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway encouraged partner countries to do their part. Health is a wide driver of development. The Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health deserves our support.
- Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Finance of the Independent State of Samoa advocated for voluntary family planning, the empowerment of women and women’s enjoyment of all human rights which are crucial to the achievement of all MDGs.
- Minister of Finance Burkina Faso cited the progress that has been made against fighting poverty, particularly in the area of education and health. National maternal and child mortality rates have decreased. Gender equality still remains a challenge. To achieve the MDGs, we need robust political will. Burkina Faso believes the MDGs must be seen as rights and must be an integral part of global development strategies.
Official country statements can be found at the UN MDG Summit website.
Stay tuned for statements read on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Women Deliver is a global advocacy organization bringing together voices from around the world to call for action against maternal death.
