Special Event to Highlight Maternal, Newborn and Child Health During the United Nations High-Level Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals
23 September 2008, New York, NY – Commitment to Progress for Mothers, Newborns and Children will launch a global re-commitment to improve the health of women and their young children and achieve Millennium Development Goals 4 (child health) and 5 (maternal health).
Co-hosted by President Michelle Bachelet of the Republic of Chile, President Tarja Halonen of the Republic of Finland, and President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete of the United Republic of Tanzania, the event will take place on September 25, 2008 at the Millennium UN Plaza Hotel in New York City from 11am-12:30pm. It will coincide with the United Nations High-Level Event on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to draw attention to successes and continuing challenges in maternal and child health, while promoting policies, programs, and financing for these areas.
Of all the Millennium Development Goals, MDG 5 – improve maternal health – has made the least progress and is the least likely to achieve the targets by 2015, as noted by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Commitment to Progress for Mothers, Newborns and Children will provide a platform for a wide range of stakeholders to inspire future initiatives, build on current momentum, make commitments to accelerate progress on MDGs 4 and 5, and provide inputs to the UN High Level Event on the MDGs.
"We recognize that only with renewed commitment and collaborative efforts can we accelerate progress towards Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5. We commit to this task and call on those concerned about the health of women and children to join us." President Michelle Bachelet, Republic of Chile, President Tarja Halonen, Republic of Finland, and President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, United Republic of Tanzania.
Each of the host Presidents will address the group to renew their commitments to maternal and child health and introduce specific initiatives. Sarah Brown, patron of the White Ribbon Alliance, will re-emphasise the importance of sustaining the political will to achieve MDGs 4 and 5. The Director General of the World Health Organization will present a joint statement on behalf of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the World Bank, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
In all, more than 50 governments, private sector organizations and non-governmental organizations are expected to commit to steps that will accelerate progress towards MDGs 4 and 5 and call on others to do the same. Prime Minister Stoltenberg of Norway will close the event and share the outcomes of Commitment to Progress for Mothers, Newborns and Children in the afternoon session of the United Nations High-Level Event on MDGs on education and health.
Commitment to Progress for Mothers, Newborns and Children will be webcast live from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EST on http://www.picturefarmpro.com/wra-eventcast.html. For additional information on the event, visit www.womendeliver.org for more information.
Contact
Chile’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations
Belen Sapag
Tel: 1-917-322-6800 x211
Email: bsapag@chileun.org
Finland’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations
Tarja Fernandez
Tel: 1-212-821-0242
Email: Tarja.Fernandez@formin.fi
Tanzania’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations
Maura Mwingira
Tel: 1-917-945-9232
Email: mauramwingira@hotmail.com