2010-04-14
Ottawa, Ontario — The Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, today commended the United Nations for its commitment to improving the health of mothers, newborns and young children in developing countries as Canada champions the same goal through its G8 presidency.
"I thank the UN Secretary-General for bringing together such a diverse group of nations and stakeholders on this very important issue", Minister Oda noted at the High-Level Round Table on Women and Children's Health in New York. "We fully support the need to focus on mothers and children as matters of urgency. The G8 initiative on maternal, newborn and child health can help make a tangible difference in saving the lives of mothers and young children in developing countries and will be complementary to the efforts led here by Secretary-General Ban-Ki-moon.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the development of a Joint Action Plan for accelerating progress on maternal and newborn health. According to the World Health Organization, every year an estimated 500,000 women lose their lives during pregnancy or childbirth and nine million children die before their fifth birthday of largely preventable causes. Prime Minister Harper announced in January that Canada will be addressing this important development priority at the G8 Leaders' Summit in Muskoka this coming June.
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Jessica Fletcher
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Office of the Minister of International Cooperation
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