Action for women and children's health gathers pace

The United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, has launched a campaign website to garner public support for the Global Strategy for Women's and Children's Health.

The strategy, Every Woman, Every Child, was launched in September. It acknowledges that the world was falling behind on the health-related 15-year promises made in 2000, called the Millennium Goals. Pledges were made by governments, philanthropists, businesses, research institutions and healthcare groups to support it.

Representing civil society at the launch event, I said the strategy "seeks to correct one of the greatest inequalities of our age, putting right the tragic injustice of eight million children and more than three hundred thousand women who die every year from preventable causes.”

World Vision's own global campaign website, Child Health Now, turned one year old on 16 November. We have initiated it in 20 countries, building active partnerships with governments, development agencies, health networks and community organisations. More national launches will follow in the next 12 months.

In addition, World Vision's own contribution of $1.5 billion for health, hygiene, water and nutrition in the next five years will enable us to do more in our own programmes to ensure the things we know save lives make an impact on more and more communities.

If the Millennium Development Goals are to be reached, collective action is the only way to proceed. I commend the Secretary General for his leadership, as we continue to ensure that World Vision pursues its vision for every child, life in all its fullness.