Global Strategy launched by United Nations Millennium Development Goals Summit

Draws More than $40 Billion to Save Lives of 16 Million Women and Children

Crowning the international summit on the Millennium Development Goals, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Heads of State and Government, along with the private sector, foundations, international organizations, civil society and research organizations, kicked off a concerted worldwide effort to save the lives of more than 16 million women and children.  At a special United Nations event to launch the Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health, stakeholders pledged more than $40 billion in resources for women’s and children’ health.

“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,” said United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.  “Today we are witnessing the kind of leadership we have long needed.”

Investing in the health of women and children is not only the right thing to do; it also builds stable, peaceful and productive societies.  It reduces poverty, it stimulates economic growth, it’s cost-effective, and it helps women and children realize their fundamental human rights.

“The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania is highly committed to achieving MDG 4 and 5 and fully supports the United Nations Secretary-General’s Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health,” said Mizengo Pinda, Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania.

"The Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health is a true global effort,” said Norway's Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg.  "Never have so many come together to save the lives of women and children.  Women and children are at the heart of the Millennium Development Goals and success on the health Millennium Goals will help drive success on all the MDGs."

The Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health, led by the United Nations Secretary-General, is a road map that identifies the finance and policy changes needed, as well as critical interventions that can and do improve health and save lives.  The Global Strategy lays out an approach for global, multisector collaboration.

“The United States congratulates the Secretary-General for this remarkable effort, both for the breadth of partners he has convened — including Governments, multilateral organizations, civil society organizations, philanthropists, and corporations — and for the substantial commitments made in response to his call for action,” said United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.  “We welcome the Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health, which highlights the importance of investing in women and girls to meeting the Millennium Development Goals.  We look forward to working with the Secretary-General and the important partners he has brought together to address maternal and child health — an issue that deserves to be at the top of our development agenda.”

“I applaud the initiative taken by the Secretary-General in formulating the Global Strategy on Women’s and Children’s Health.  The launch of the Global Strategy is a recognition that the health and well-being of women and children is of great value,” said K. Sujatha Rao, Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Ministry of India.

To help ensure the Global Strategy is successful, several international organizations, including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UNAIDS, World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank, are collaborating to mobilize ongoing political and operational support, including fighting for universal access to care for all women and children, and ensuring that women and girls have a fair and equal opportunity to health and life.  This team will identify and connect resources to the people who need them based on the priorities set by countries’ national health plans.

In addition, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the GAVI Alliance, and the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria are working with this team to ensure integration of services and efforts across a broad range of health needs.

“The Global Strategy asks us to be smart, strategic, and resourceful as never before,” said Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General, WHO.  “By integrating their actions, the eight international health-related agencies will strengthen capacities across the board, in ways that meet the comprehensive needs of women and children.”

The gains from implementing the Global Strategy will be enormous.  Between 2011 and 2015, the deaths of more than 15 million children under five would be prevented, as well as 33 million unwanted pregnancies and the deaths of 740,000 women from complications relating to pregnancy and childbirth.  A further 88 million children under five would be protected from stunting and 120 million would be protected from pneumonia.

“Women deliver for their families, communities and nations.  Now it is time to deliver for women!  Advancing the health and rights of women is one of the greatest social causes of our time,” said Thoraya Obaid, Executive Director, UNFPA.  “To improve women's health and achieve the health-related Millennium Development Goals, we need to address inequities, engage communities and scale up reproductive health services.” 

Since the Joint Effort on Women’s and Children’s Health was launched in April, many partners have come forward with ambitious pledges to do more for women’s and children’s health.  These pledges will ensure more health for the money, through better and more focused use of all available resources.  They also represent more money for health.  Today’s launch represents a major step towards filling the gap between the investment needed and what is currently provided for

women’s and children’s health — with over $40 billion in resources over the next five years.  These resources will be measured and tracked to ensure accountability for commitments, actions and results. 

For details of all of the commitments, including a list of contributing Governments and institutions, please access:  http://www.un.org/en/mdg/summit2010/, or http://www.un.org/sg/globalstrategy.shtml.

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For information media • not an official record