The RCM has called the first London Summit on Family Planning, which was held yesterday (11 July), a 'truly historic event'.
Deputy general secretary, Louise Silverton, made the comment about
the event, which aims to save lives globally.
She said: ‘It is truly a historic event and a transformative initiative that will dramatically impact the lives of 120m women.
‘We support the summit’s goals of promoting delaying the age of marriage, improving access to contraception, enabling family spacing and stopping having children when the desired family size has been reached.
‘These goals are all very important to reduce maternal mortality and improve health and well-being for newborns.’
She also congratulated those behind the event – the UK government, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UNFPA, national governments, and a range of other partners organisations.
The work of the summit will improve and enhance the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Four and Five.
These aim to reduce child mortality and maternal mortality and improve maternal health by 2015.
It is hoped that summit will empower and promote the rights of women in developing countries to access midwife-led care and a long-term strategy for good maternal health.
The news comes after the RCM secured a major three-year midwifery
twinning project in May.
The project aims to strengthen midwifery associations and improve midwifery services in Nepal, Cambodia and Uganda – countries selected due to their high rates of maternal and perinatal deaths.
Louise added: ‘This funding and international project will strengthen both the RCM and our global sister midwifery associations and give UK midwives the opportunity to give something back to international midwifery and help women and babies in Nepal, Cambodia and Uganda.’
The Global Midwifery Twinning project is funded through the Health Partnership Scheme, which is funded by the UK Department for International Development and managed by the Tropical Health and Education Trust.
