News

July 13, 2010

Why Protests Aren't What We Should Remember About the G8, Huffington Post

Why Protests Aren't What We Should Remember About the G8

By Liya Kebede

Among news of protests and arrests at the G8 summit, something important was overlooked - critical progress towards saving mothers' lives. During this meeting of the world's top leaders, mothers were finally at the top of the agenda. Almost every death resulting from childbirth is preventable yet politicians have historically shown little will to save these women's lives. Last weekend, the G8 leaders proved otherwise with a $5 billion commitment to maternal health. Not only is this great news for women across the globe, but essential for the health of their children and the future economic development of their communities.

The G8 commitment was not everything we had hoped for, but it was a critical first step. It, combined with pledges from other donors, will prevent 64,000 women from dying in childbirth and save the lives of 1.3 million young children. Yet, even with last week's pledge, millions of women and children still need help. We have the power to stamp out maternal mortality altogether, and we must do it.

Today, 350,000 women die each year -- nearly a woman every minute -- from survivable pregnancy and childbirth complications. Preventable maternal mortality remains one of the leading causes of death for women in the developing world. And for every woman who dies, 20 more will suffer terrible, life-altering complications.

Since 2000, we've made great strides toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals, but Goal #5, the promise to reduce maternal mortality by 75 percent by 2015, remains the furthest behind. Without at least $30 billion to make proven solutions available to all women, only 23 countries are on track to meet the MDG 5 goal.

In addition to not reaching millions of women in need, the G8 pledge lacks specific details about how to fill the 3.5 million health worker gap. Midwives and doctors play a crucial role preventing unnecessary maternal deaths. They educate women about nutrition, health and family planning. And they step in when complications arise. We should work to guarantee that there is a midwife or health worker by every woman's side during childbirth.

In Ethiopia -- where I was born -- most women still give birth alone. Medical facilities are often too far away, overcrowded or under-equipped to help them. Across Africa, dedicated health workers like the doctors at the Durame Hospital in Ethiopia struggle to serve too many with too little. The nurses, midwives and doctors at these hospitals are superheroes -- they work tirelessly to save lives every day -- but they cannot do it alone. With funding from the G8 and G20 countries, we can support these hospitals and set up clinics to serve isolated communities. For many women and children, especially those with health complications, this would mean the difference between life and death.

The summit also failed to hold our leaders accountable for the $50 billion in additional development aid by 2010 they promised at Gleneagles. With worldwide budget crises, it is all too tempting to cut aid or renege on pledges. We must ensure the extra $5 billion pledged by the G8 does not come at the expense of other health and development programs. In times of economic crisis, we can't afford not to invest in solutions that save lives, such as health workers, health facilities and family planning. When a mother dies, it not only devastates her family, it reduces economic growth, destabilizes communities and jeopardizes hard won progress.

There is a way forward that will save lives and build a better future. Past promises must be kept and donors must be clear about their individual contributions to the initiative. Canada has already pledged $1.1 billion, and the U.S. $1.35 billion. Now, other countries must follow their example.

Bringing the future generation into the world should not cost you your life. But without real, sustained commitment from our leaders, our health care workers, and each of us, becoming a mother will still be the most dangerous day of many women's lives. So thank you to the G8 for this important first step. We still have a long way to go.

NEWS ARCHIVE

2011
Liya joins with TOMS and Glamour
Liya featured on giggle.com!
Liya taking a stand for the horn of Afri
Liya speaks at UNICEF breakfast on Women
Liya's call to action for the Horn of Af
Liya Kebede co-hosts launch of the Women
ABC's Be the Change Save a Life Intervie
Liya Makes Mother's Day Video
Liya Visits Awassa Maternal Health Clini
Liya participates in YouTube's World Vie
Support the Liya Kebede Foundation by Bi
Liya's Travel Diary for One Campaign's L
Liya Kebede Foundation Adds Facebook Fan
Liya Kebede Foundation Partners with Cha

2010
TIME Person of the Year Nominations
Model and Activist Liya Kebede On Inspir
Why Protests Aren't What We Should Remem
"Star of Africa", Guardian UK
4,738 Letters for Mothers' Lives and Cou
Open Letter to G8 Leaders
Melinda Gates on Maternal Health Innovat
Liya Kebede in Time 100 Roundtables
Model Citizen: Liya Kebede Gives Back
Liya Kebede on TIME 100 List
Liya calls on Congress to invest in crit
Liya Kebede Named Young Global Leader by
Triple Threat: Supermodel, Entrepreneur
Obama's Budget Invests in Moms
"Redefining Impossible," Huffington Post

2009
Gates Foundation Living Proof
Leaders Demand Action on MDG 5
Women Demand Action to Save Mothers
High Level UN Event for Maternal Health
It Girl, Vogue
"We Need a Global Fund for Moms," Huffin
Giant Magazine's Most Influential People
Liya Addresses UN Forum
Liya meets with Congressional Leaders on
Liya on Plum TV's Giving
Liya on the Today Show
"When Mothers Die," Giving Beast
Liya Joins Huffington Post
Liya Profiled in SOHO House

2008
Liya Visits Earthquake Devastated China
"She Who Cares Wins," Vogue Australia
Adolescent Girls Initiative
Women Leaders Dinner
Champions for an HIV Free Generation

2007
Liya Receives Orphan Ranger Award
Liya Featured on Al Jazeera's Riz Khan
Liya Speaks at the National Press Club
Deliver Now! Saving 77 Million by 2015
"Liya Rising," Vanity Fair
Liya Featured on CNN's Revealed
LKF Mother's Day Campaign
Liya Receives the Smart Cookie Award
Meeting of Women Parliamentarians
Liya in Marie Claire
Liya on Good Morning America

2006
Liya on the Oprah Winfrey Show
Liya in Self Magazine
LKF and Worldwide Orphans Foundation
WHO Highlights Impact of Fistula
A Message from Liya to the WHO
"Saving Mothers," Essence Magazine

2005
Liya in New York Times Style Magazine
Liya Kebede Addresses the UN
Liya Kebede Named Goodwill Ambassador