The
White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood is demanding more health workers when the United Nations General Assembly convenes in New York later this month.
The assembly will meet on 19 September to review progress on the millennium development goals and commitments to women and children.
On September 6, a petition signed by more than 5000 people from 76 countries was handed over to UK minister for international development, Stephen O’Brien.
The petition is called
Midwives Save Lives and calls on the heads of states to increase their commitment to the
education, recruitment and retention of midwives and health workers.
It has was delivered by Frances Day Stirk, president of the International Confederation of Midwives, along with members of WRA and Save the Children.
He said: 'We, as signatories of this petition and on behalf of midwives everywhere, will be watching from all over the world to make sure that our politicians walk the talk and deliver on their commitments to invest in us, our profession, and the pregnant women of tomorrow.'
He added: 'We cannot allow 1000 women and 3600 newborns to die needlessly every day.'
The petition is being handed over to officials in 13 other countries.
The WBA has a number of high-profile events and activities, including talks,
symposiums and speeches, taking place in New York throughout the week of the UN assembly.
It is also taking a delegation of health workers and advocates on the
frontlines of efforts in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria,
Pakistan, Tanzania and Yemen.
They
will be speaking at a number of high-profile events throughout the
week, in a bid to raise awareness of communities around the world where
one in three women give birth alone.
Sarah Brown, WRA global patron, said: ‘This is a wakeup call to world leaders to become heroes and heroines by taking the swift action needed to drive towards the millennium development goal promises.
‘Maternal and newborn health is at the heart of their promise to reduce global poverty.
‘What we need now is more health workers to save the lives of mothers during pregnancy and childbirth, and their precious newborn babies too.’
