2010 Top stories, features and spotlights
January - March 2010
23 March 2010 | Ottawa – Canadian parliamentarians have debated and defeated a motion on the inclusion of comprehensive family planning in a proposed G8 initiative being brought by the Canadian government when it will host the leaders’ meeting in June 2010.
19 MARCH 2010 | NEW DELHI - A partnership meeting on MDGs 4 and 5 was held in New Delhi on 19 March, co-hosted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood India (WRAI), and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health. The meeting, chaired by AIIMS's head of obstetrics and gynaecology, Dr. Suneeta Mittal, was attended by more than 50 representatives of Indian health professional associations, NGOs, donors, multilateral agencies, researchers, and medical students.
18 MARCH |OTTAWA - Prime Minister Stephen Harper and International Development Minister, Bev Oda confirmed that their Government is open to contraception as part of its G8 initiative to save women's and children's lives.
8 March 2010 | Ottawa – Some 200 people attended a special MNCH public forum on International Women’s Day which was organized by a non-partisan group of Canadian parliamentarians and Senators. Two roundtable panels addressed the question of “Canada’s Role in Saving Women and Children: Moving Forward on MDGs 4 and 5.”
1 March 2010 - In the run-up to the 2010 Millennium Development Goal (MDG) Summit and the United Nations General Assembly in September, a new joint effort for women and children will galvanize commitment and action, drive effective implementation and ensure accountability for results
5-6 February 2010 | GENEVA - Italian Parliamentarians meeting in Geneva have pledged continued support and action for maternal, newborn and child issues. At the seminar, Parliamentarians including Senator Franca Biondelli, the Honorable Sabrina De Camillis and Senator Maria Rizzoti committed to draft parliamentary resolutions on international aid to MNCH, support breast cancer awareness and to continue to work on reducing the rates of Cesarean sections in Italy.
The horrific earthquake which struck Haiti on 12 January 2010 caused wide spread devastation. PMNCH members have warned that many of those hit the hardest have been pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and young children without access to food, water and medication. Many partners have responded quickly to the enormous need in Haiti with new campaigns and relief efforts.
PMNCH applauds Canada Prime Minister Stephen Harper's announcement that Canada will "champion a major initiative to improve the health of women and children in the world's poorest regions", making this the top priority for the up-coming G8 meeting. Canada will host the G8 and G20 in Ontario from 25-27 June 2010.