Every Partner Counts: Women Deliver

Women Deliver is one of a few organizations dedicated explicitly to maternal health. Their renowned conferences take place every three years and offer the global community an opportunity to meet and share the challenges and progress made on issues relating to girls and women around the world. It was at the Women Deliver conference in 2010 where Christy first screened “No Woman, No Cry” for those dedicated to maternal health. She was also named, that year, as one of the Women Deliver 100.

Christy at the Women Deliver conference in 2010 following the screening of “No Woman, No Cry”
Credit: KRIS CONNOR/GETTY IMAGES

The next conference will take place in Malaysia in 2013 and is sure to be another critical moment for the community. It has been an honor to work closely with Jill Sheffield and her team over the years. Here is an overview of this amazing organization and some of the insights from the Rio Conference and what that meeting means for maternal health.

From Women Deliver:

Women Deliver is a global advocacy organization that brings together voices from around the world to call for action to improve the health and well being of girls and women. We work globally to generate political commitment and resource investments to reduce maternal mortality and achieve universal access to reproductive health (Millennium Development Goal #5). Women Deliver builds on commitments, partnerships, and networks mobilized at the groundbreaking Women Deliver conferences in 2007 and 2010, fighting to end the deluge of preventable deaths that kill approximately 287,000 girls and women from pregnancy—related causes every year. Women Deliver’s message is that maternal health is both a human right and a practical necessity for sustainable development. Invest in women—it pays.

About Women Deliver and Rio+20:

From sustainable cities to renewable energy, some of the most crucial areas of development policy remain devoid of any mention or dialogue on the issue of women’s rights. To put these neglected issues on the global agenda, numerous governments, executives, NGOs, and civil society activists will gather this week to represent the voices of the women, youth, and children around the world at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, also known as Rio+20.

 This meeting will mark the 20th anniversary of the landmark Earth Summit which convened thousands of people and 172 governments in 1992, and resulted in conventions on biodiversity and climate change. Poverty eradication and sustainability through a greener economy are the main topics of conversation at this month's meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which expire in 2015, are also expected to be evaluated, and discussions are underway about a new global framework that looks at potential “Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”

As the world population passes 7 billion, reproductive health and family planning discussions are vital when developing plans and policies for sustainable development. Investing in family planning and reproductive health services means women are able to lead healthier and more productive lives. When women are healthy and have economic opportunities, they spend more money on food, housing, and education, which results in decreased poverty levels and ultimately promotes sustainable development.

 We need global and local leaders to advocate for the inclusion of women’s rights and needs in sustainable development. At Rio+20, Women Deliver, in partnership with Nourishing the Planet, is working to emphasize the importance of maternal, sexual, and reproductive health and rights in sustainable development and in a post-MDG framework. We have the resources and the knowledge needed to improve the lives of women and children, but lack the political will, argues Jill Sheffield, president of Women Deliver. “Roadmaps have been drawn, health services have been integrated, and family planning programs have been expanded. It’s time to speed the process and progress."