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Women Deliver Conference Begins Today

Today is the opening day of the 2013 Women Deliver Global Conference, the largest conference on women’s health, maternal health and maternal mortality in the world.

The third annual conference is being held this year in Malaysia’s capital city of Kuala Lumpur. Activists, lawmakers, UN officials, and business leaders from around the world will gather for the three day conference to discuss what health challenges women are facing and what steps can be taken to reduce maternal mortality. Over 7,000 people will be in attendance this year. Many international organizations, such as the World Bank, will be releasing new research on women’s reproductive health worldwide.

Jill Sheffield, President of Women Deliver, wrote in an welcome letter, “When we meet in 2013, we will be nearing the 2015 deadline of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). While much progress has been made, there is still a long way to go. This conference will be an opportunity to strategize about the way to 2015 and beyond, highlighting success stories and ongoing challenges to improve the health and well-being of girls and women.”

The Asia Director of Women Deliver, Dr. Raj Karim, said in a welcome letter, “Women Deliver recognizes that eradicating HIV and AIDS, improving education, promoting human rights, working towards environmental sustainability, and ensuring economic empowerment and gender equality are all necessary parts of the solution to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity for girls and women. We are all in this together, and we need to build on each other’s work to create synergy.”

Sources:

Guardian 5/28/2013; Voice of America 5/27/2013; Women Deliver 2013

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