To the African Heads of State,
(Télécharger la version française)
It is a simple truth: The Millennium Development Goals will not be achieved in Africa without addressing sexual and reproductive health. In 2006, recognizing that women and girls deliver enormous social and economic benefits to their families, communities, and nations, the African Union boldly adopted a short-term plan to achieve the MDGs and save women’s lives in their continent: The Maputo Plan of Action. You understood the needs and realities of your countries, you came together, and you adopted a plan that moved sexual and reproductive health higher on Africa’s political agenda. We commend you for taking the lead in addressing sexual and reproductive health, including maternal health and family planning.
Now, the Maputo Plan of Action is about to expire, and we’re calling on you to reenergize your efforts to achieve the goals that you set in 2006. It’s time to build on the legacy of the Maputo Plan, and to move forward with renewed determination to save the lives of millions of women and girls.
At the Summit of the African Union next week, it is time to revisit the Maputo Plan of Action, to recognize the progress that has been made, and to get all African countries onboard the implementation of the plan. In May 2009, the African Union launched the Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA). The Maputo Plan of Action and CARMMA represent the two targets of MDG5, reducing maternal mortality and assuring universal access to reproductive health. These complementary efforts will increase the attention and commitment to the end result – achieving MDG5 (and others) by 2015.
We are asking you to recommit to making the Maputo Plan of Action a reality and to moving Africa toward social and economic sustainability. At the Summit of the African Union, we hope you will:
- Invest in family planning – a ‘quick win’ to substantially reduce maternal mortality. The world must commit another US $12 billion a year to fulfill the unmet need for family planning and provide every woman with the recommended standard of maternal and newborn care.
- Prioritize young people to ensure access to youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services.
- Strengthen health systems, prioritizing sexual and reproductive health through targeting policies, programs, and budgeting.
- Advance and protect human rights for girls and women.
We know how to save the lives of girls and women through cost-effective solutions: family planning programs; skilled care for mothers and newborns before, during, and after childbirth, including emergency obstetric care; and safe abortion, when and where legal. And, we know how women who survive pregnancy and childbirth can deliver for the world. You’ve already set out the plan. Now, we need to work together to implement these solutions so that together we can reduce maternal and newborn deaths and harness that power for increased productivity, strong health systems, empowered girls with greater potential, and a more prosperous world for us all.
Invest in women - it pays!
Signed,
Jill Sheffield
President, Women Deliver
Entry Comments
lot of thaks
a woman should not die while giving birth. Together we can we the fight.
Let the Heads of state have a decisive plan to help the growth of the program.Their ideas would be helpful
We should protect the under privillage children,specially
the drop out school.
Without sincere African political’s leaders commitment, the MDG can never be achieved. It is the obligation of poitical leaderships to take action for the better quality of their people lives and improved sexual and reproductive health. Investment in family planning, strengthening health care system and protecting women and girls’ social, economic, political and reproductive rights is the need of time and should be given top prriority.
women should take care of domestic violence.
It is high time we all stand up, take responsibility and tackle this niggling problem in our society.
since 2005 Burundian women profit from the free care during all the period of the pregnancy and childbirth free without having to pay, not even for the Caesarean. This does not want to say that Burundi is a rich country. It on the contrary is classified among the 3 poorest countries of the world. I believe that we can protect our moms and our wives from death due to the pregnancy.The involvement of all the actors in this field is undoubtedly the first thing to be made in Africa. The volunteers do not miss in Africa and it is necessary that the African leaders organize them and support them.
Théophile B.
Association Burundaise des Etudiants en Médecine(ABEM).
African Leaders please keep your promise and allocate the 15% budgetary allocation.
This is the time that African leaders need to walk the talk on issues related to women’s wellbeing in Africa,particularly related to achieveing the MDGS. Maternal mortality and mobidity has been a bane of women in Africa and commitment of resources is needed to address this state of affairs. I call on the leaders to this time round put in place concrete measures that will address this situation. Action must be taken now and this should come from the Maputo summit.
Supporting women improves the entire community in so many ways - this work could not be more important.
African leaders should support health workers to cut down on maternal and infant mortality by making health a priority and redirecting more resources to that field. Its hard for health workers to offer free services when they can not afford basic needs like shelter. Please our leaders, work with us to reduce on brain drain to achieve quality, healthier life for all.
as a women in africa i long to see the day where women can safely deliver their children without the risk of dying in the maternity ward .
giving birth should not translate to a death sentence
maternal health is the top most priority that should be handle with care,before a nation could develop, in my country sierra leone the infant and child mortality is very high but our president has decleared free healt care to pregnant women,lactating mothers and children under five inorder to reduce the infant mortality rate in the country.
World leaders must remind President Obama and his government to fulfill their promise about the Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA).
Because a goal is like a dream with a deadline, we need to be mong the survivors of our time so as to remain among the favoured few for the betterment of mankind
I would urge the governments and Heads of African states to immediately start TBA( Traditional Birth Attendants) training which will contribute at least 50% reduction of mortality rate of pregnant mothers. Bangladesh is a successful case , you can learn from.
I sincerely appeal to the Heads of State to implement the necessary steps that are essential for achieving these goals with great emphasis on female education
This is a human rights issue and needs immediate priority!
If there is a time we need african leaders to take action is now.Its time to implement what is in writing if we really want a brighter tomorrow. We have lagged behind for too long, our women have suffered far too long,its time to ACT!
I am pediatrician and particularly interest by women health, knowing that in Africa, children health depend onthe mother’s capacity
go ahead
Save a mother and save her children
It is time to act now! It is a high time we brought on board everyone including our heads of states, development partners both non profit and profit,donors, young people, men, women and children into issues of maternal and child health as well as Sexual Reproductive Health as large. For Africa to reach anywhere near the set MGDs especially MDGs 4, 5 and 6, we need commitment from all corners including resources such as finance, technical capacity, government support,beneficiaries’ involvement and strong M&E system lest we lose the great assets we have in our mothers and children!!
African leaders should keep up with all promises to deliver, to seek, to improve and strengthen healthcare delivery system violence against women for the vulnerable, women, teenagers and children, The under served mothers and childrens of today needs our leaders support please work together to alivate their problem .
Achieving the MDG on maternal and child health in Africa needs a serious political will on the part of every African leader. Enough of paper work and endless conferences! We should put structures and consolidate on the gains made so far.