26th August
The planet’s social and economic inequalities must be addressed if women and children are to “survive and thrive,” SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon said, calling for accelerated action on achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) ahead of the 2015 deadline. Speaking on 6 May at a special event held by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and titled ‘Meeting the Challenges of the Health MDGs and Beyond,’ Mr. Ban told delegates that while much progress in achieving the Goals has been made, a great deal still remained to be done. “Time is passing and we must urgently accelerate our work. That takes commitment, political will, and a determination to focus efforts on where they can have the biggest impact,” he stated, adding that this was one reason why he made improving maternal and child health a priority of the MDG agenda.
“We know that investing in women’s and children’s health yields high and long-lasting returns – for individuals, for families, for societies and for the future we want.”“We have the technology and knowhow to save and improve women’s and children’s lives – and we need to join our good ideas and efforts.