Every minute a woman dies due to complications in pregnancy or
childbirth, adding up to half a million women dying every year. Another
10-15 million women suffer serious or long-lasting illnesses or
disabilities.

“No woman should die giving life,” said UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid.
“To have a healthy society, you have to have healthy mothers.”

In many countries, however, progress in maternal health has been slow.
In some, the situation has actually deteriorated over the last 20 years.
The reason is insufficient political will and inadequate resources, as
women’s health is often pushed off the agenda in favour of other priorities.

“It is critical to invest in women if we are to achieve the Millennium Development Goals
Ms. Obaid. “We urge countries to dedicate more
resources to improving national health systems, training skilled birth
attendants and promoting family planning. Millions of deaths and
disabilities could be prevented, if every woman had access to
reproductive health services.”

Improving maternal health and reducing maternal deaths are at the heart
of Millennium Development Goal number 5.

The thematic fund, which UNFPA has established in partnership with governments, United Nations organizations and other international partners, will help countries increase their access and use of quality maternal health services that would reduce maternal deaths and
disabilities. It will also increase the capacity of health systems to
provide a broad range of quality maternal health services, strengthen
mechanisms to reduce health inequities, and empower women to exercise
their right to maternal health.

The thematic fund will focus on supporting 75 countries with the
greatest need. The goal is to raise $465 million during 2008-2011