Parliamentarians take action for maternal and newborn health.

From Wednesday November 26 until Friday November 28, the conference ‘Parliamentarians take action for maternal and newborn health’ will take place in the Old Chamber of the Dutch House of Representatives. The House organizes this three-day conference together with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Interparliamentary Union (IPU). The President of the House, ms. Gerdi Verbeet, will open the conference.

Pushing back child and maternal mortality
Parliamentarians and representatives of Un-organizations from 65 countries will take part in the conference. The purpose of the conference is to push back child and maternal mortality world wide. The conference has to lead to global awareness, so child and maternal mortality will become an item on the political agenda. It will give parliamentarians the opportunity to press for concrete measures or policy changes in their homelands.   

Other participants
In addition to parliamentarians, Dutch NGO’s and companies are involved in the conference as well. The Dutch minister of Health, Welfare and Sport, Mr. Klink, and the Dutch minister for Development Cooperation, Mr. Koenders, will contribute to the conference. On Wednesday November 26, Her Royal Highness, Princess Màxima will be present.

Millennium goals
In 2000, the international community committed to eight Millennium goals to fight poverty and to improve development. Millennium goals four and five say that child mortality has to be reduced by two thirds and maternal mortality with three quarters in 2015 compared  to 1990.