Speech at Launch of  Global Campaign to achieve Millennium Goals No. 4 and 5

Check against delivery        

Close to 10 million children die each year of diseases for which there are inexpensive and effective remedies.

Half a million young women die each year, during pregnancy or in connection with childbirth.

These facts are so awful, it hurts to even think about them.

And worse still, we can prevent most of these human tolls. 

But we don’t.

And that must change.

 

Seven years ago, I was one of the 189 who signed the Millennium Declaration. There we promised to reduce child and maternal mortality.

Hard and raw facts and figures tell us that we will fail to honour those promises.

Unless we change.

And that is why I have invited you here today to present a new global campaign to save the lives of women and children. 

Since the year 2000 through to 2015, Norway will contribute one billion US dollars to vaccination of children in poor countries.

But we need to move beyond vaccination and focus also on the risks that newborns face on the first day and first weeks of their lives.

In fact, the first day of a child’s life is extremely unsafe in many parts of the world.

Each year 2 million babies die before the sun sets on their first day.

Four million newborns die in their first month, many of them because they are not breastfed or given unsafe water.

Each year 500 000 women die in connection with childbirth.

Are we able to feel and understand the fear and agony which millions of pregnant young women face on the most dangerous day of their lives? - And for many the last.  The day they give birth - and hopefully life.

Simple, affordable measures

- antibiotics,

 - or the presence of skilled birth attendants

will save millions of women’s lives

 

In my country one in 30 000 women will die in connection with giving birth.

In some countries, one in seven women will die.

This is unjust and unnecessary

Today we launch a Campaign to save millions of lives.

The campaign has three main thrusts:

 Firstly: We must finance survival. 

Few investments yield higher returns than investing in children and women’s health.

Secondly:  We must organize survival.

Health personnel should treat more patients and file fewer reports.

And we must change the financing so that treating patients becomes a source of income rather than a cost for the health systems.

For example:  Clinics can get paid for the number of women and children they provide care for, or we could give money to women for going to clinics.

Thirdly:  we launch today an advocacy campaign for women and children’s lives to ensure that our message will reach every corner of the world.

The Campaign is supported by many stakeholders, - countries, the UN family, the World Bank, the private sector, civil society and many others.

I am pleased to announce today that we are building a Network of Global Leaders to oversee and ensure that the women and children will indeed be given priority.

To date 5 Presidents and 3 Prime Ministers have joined the Network. Many of them are with us today. And I will also underline the excellent cooperation we have had with Gordon Brown for many years, a towering leader for development, as well as with Bill and Melinda Gates who are deeply committed to this.

 

Today, let me also announce that Norway is increasing its financial support for pursuing the millennium goals on child and maternal health. Our additional financing will amount to 1 billion US dollars over ten years.

 I have now the pleasure to introduce the first the leaders who have joined us at this launch and who will help sustain our global campaign:

 I give the floor to His Excellency, The president of Tanzania, Mr. Kikwete.

 His Excellency, The president of Mozambique Mr. Guebuza

His Excellency, The President of Indonesia, Mr. Yudhoyono,

His Excellency, The Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mr. Balkenende\

The Honorable Mr. Zoellick, President of the World Bank

Her Excellency,  Dr. Chan, Director/General of the World Health Organization

The Honorable Ms. Veneman, Executive Director of Unicef

Minister of State Mr. Malloch-Brown.