Every Woman, Every Child

Check against delivery

Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon,
Mr Annan,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Needless to say, our agenda today is an important one: saving the lives of children and mothers. We need the efforts of all of you – governments, NGOs, international organisations and the private sector – to meet our goals.

This week Norway hosted an international conference on global health in Oslo together with Bill Gates and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Norway and the Gates Foundation have worked together for more than ten years. We have provided support for vaccination and improved health for children and mothers.

This is one example of a successful public–private partnership.

The gains are twofold. The private sector brings in more funding. It also brings a stronger focus on results and efficiency.

The private sector can help us to get more development for every aid dollar. Therefore, I want to see more public–private partnerships in the field of aid.

And I want to commend the Secretary-General for his strong vision of building a platform of partnerships to take cooperation between international organisations, governments and the private sector to new heights.

*****

Let me take one example.

Last year, Norway and other donors provided Bayer with a USD 230 million volume guarantee. In return, Bayer halved the price of its Jadelle contraceptive implant.

This agreement alone will give 27 million women access to contraceptives. And Bayer will sell more products – hopefully without invoking the guarantee. It will then be possible to use this money again.

This is one example of a successful public–private partnership. And of innovative financing that can give more development for every aid dollar. There is a lot to learn from this approach.

*****

We have seen tremendous progress in public health over the last decades.

Child and maternal mortality has dropped by more than 40 % since 1990.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Eide, launched the report from Global Campaign for the Health Millennium Development. Here with UN Secretary General. (Foto: Birgitte Hygen, UD)

More than five million lives are being saved – every year.

But the job is far from completed. Millions of women and children are still dying from easily preventable diseases.

Every fifth second, a child dies.

Every second minute, a woman dies in pregnancy or childbirth.

This is utterly unacceptable.

This is why we are here today.

To accelerate progress.

To save lives.

To promote development.

We have seen tremendous progress thanks to the Millennium Development Goals, which focus the world’s attention on clearly measurable targets.

We have learned that a lot can be gained. We have also learned that there is a long way to go. Hence, we are in the middle of the very important debate on the post-2015 agenda.

We believe in focusing on universal coverage, not just as a word but as a reality. This means that in the next phase we have to look at how governments and governed, people and governments, relate to each other in every country.

We – the international community – have a vital role to play in helping governments to do their job. We need a modern concept of sovereignty. Every state has certain obligations. It is important that they live up to these obligations so that we can achieve sustainable results in the long run.

*****

Secretary-General, ladies and gentlemen,

Last year a series of promising initiatives, plans and recommendations were put forward. Now it is time for coordination and implementation.

Prime Minister Stoltenberg, who very much regrets not being able to be here with you tonight, had the honour of co-chairing the UN Commission on Life-saving Commodities together with President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria.

The Commission identified 13 health commodities that can save millions of lives – effectively and with a low price tag.

The Commission made 10 recommendations on how to get these commodities to those in most urgent need.

Fully implemented this could save more than 6 million lives by 2015.

*****

Today we launch the 2013 report from the Global Campaign for the Health Millennium Development Goals.

It has been produced by Norway in close cooperation with Nigeria under the leadership of President Jonathan, among others.

It highlights our achievements, new commitments and new approaches.

It presents a broad coalition working together to improve the health of children and mothers: governments, multilateral organisations, nongovernmental organisations and the private sector.

Let this report inspire you to be part of the Every Woman Every Child initiative and save 16 million lives by 2015.

Thank you very much.