Italian Parliamentarians commit again to MNCH support

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 seminar, organized by WHO\RHR, PMNCH and the Italian NGO, O.N.Da., is similar to the second meeting of Italian women parliamentarians with the WHO, The Partnership and O.N.Da, one whichthe first one took place in January 2009, one year ago when two bills were drafted on the issue of C-Section overuse in Italy and increased international aid to maternal and child health. These draft bills were subsequently passed by the Italian ParliamentSenate and will be shortly presented to the Italian Parliament for approval.

Dr Flavia Bustreo, PMNCH Director, highlighted the success of the Italian initiative last year by the inclusion of MNCH at the G8 meeting, which was hosted by Italy. This initiative attracted attention on a global level and contributed to Canada announcing it would put maternal and child health as a top priority issue at the 2010 G8 Summit.

Key decisions made at the meeting include a commitment to draw up two new draft bills for the Italian Parliament: one to support international aid to reproductive health and MNCH, and the second on the issue of breast cancer. The Parliamentarians also decided on follow-up action in advocacy and legislation on the issue of C-section overuse in Italy – the theme of their first meeting of January 2009.

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