Research for universal health coverage: World health report 2013

The global maternal health agenda has been largely defined by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for the last decade and half, but what will happen after they expire in 2015? What kind of framework is needed to continue the momentum towards eliminating preventable maternal deaths and morbidities? 

For a panel of experts gathered at the Wilson Center on February 20, universal health coverage is a powerful mechanism that may be crucial to finishing the job.

Inequality Remains a Killer

There has been significant progress towards MDG 5 – reduce the global maternal mortality ratio by 75 percent between 1990 and 2015 and achieve universal access to reproductive health. But “we still have challenges and the agenda is not finished,” said Jacqueline Mahon of the United Nations Population Fund.

There is persistent inequality in access to maternal health services and discrimination too, she said. The global maternal mortality rate has declined by 47 percent since 1990, far below the MDG 5 goal, and an estimated 800 women still die every day from preventable causes linked to pregnancy and childbirth, with 99 percent of those deaths occur in developing countries. Only 58 percent of women in developing countries give birth with a skilled attendant.

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Aid in Support of Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment – Donor Charts

On-line dataset:  data on aid in support of gender equality and women’s empowerment can now be accessed through a new on-line dedicated dataset, both at aggregate and activity level: Aid activities targeting gender equality and women's empowerment .

CRS Report: Aid in support of gender equality and women's empowerment

This analytical chapter is divided in five chapters (5 themes):

1. Aid in support of gender equality and women's empowerment: Statistical overview 

This chapter examines data on OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) member aid flows that explicitly target gender equality and women’s empowerment. It provides guidance for analysis and interpretation of gender equality marker data and discusses the main methodological issues and possible ways forward.

    See also: Aid in support of gender equality and women’s empowerment (annual statistical charts)

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Older Women & Beijing: 15 Years On

Older women in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action

15 years ago, the Beijing Declaration recognised age discrimination as one of the factors contributing to the barriers to women’s empowerment and advancement. Older women were specifically mentioned in the Beijing Platform for Action with regard to their poverty, health, violence against them, obstacles they face in entering the labour market, discrimination at work and as a civilian group particularly affected by armed conflict. Demographic ageing in developed and developing countries and the need for age-disaggregated data were emphasised. Recommendations for government action were made in each of these areas but there were also gaps, including the complete omission of widows and widowhood.

The question remains 15 years later. To what extent have governments and others implemented these actions and to what extent are older women and population ageing priorities for future action?

Older women in the century of ageing

As we enter the second decade of the 21^st century, older women continue to live longer than men, are less likely to be married, more likely to live alone and less likely to have access to an income through work in the formal or informal sector.

Source: UNDESA, Population Ageing and Development 2009, http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/ageing/ageing2009chart.pdf

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What will this mean for NGO's advocating on women's and girls' issues, rights?

The UN Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations is a standing committee of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It was established by Council resolution 3(II) on the 21st of June 1946. The Committee reports directly to ECOSOC (rule 82 of its rules of procedure) and its report includes draft resolutions on matters calling for action by the Council.

The main tasks of the Committee are:

·  The consideration of applications for consultative status and requests for reclassification submitted by NGOs;

·  The consideration of quadrennial reports submitted by NGOs in General and Special categories;

·  The implementation of the provisions of Council resolution 1996/31 and the monitoring of the consultative relationship;

·  Any other issues which the ECOSOC may request the Committee to consider.

The Commitee on NGOs (http://csonet.org/?menu=80)

(New York) - Democratic States that value and respect a vibrant civil society should do more to support non-governmental organisations to have their voices heard at the United Nations, the International Service for Human Rights said today.

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The States Parties to this Convention,

Recognizing that full respect for human rights has been enshrined in the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and reaffirmed in other international and regional instruments;

Affirming that violence against women constitutes a violation of their human rights and fundamental freedoms, and impairs or nullifies the observance, enjoyment and exercise of such rights and freedoms;

Concerned that violence against women is an offense against human dignity and a manifestation of the historically unequal power relations between women and men;

Recalling the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, adopted by the Twenty-fifth Assembly of Delegates of the Inter-American Commission of Women, and affirming that violence against women pervades every sector of society regardless of class, race or ethnic group, income, culture, level of education, age or religion and strikes at its very foundations:

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