Delhi Declaration

On April 7, 2005 the world’s attention focused on the plight of women, newborns, and children, and the need to improve their health and well-being. Each year more than half a million women and over 10 million children die, largely from preventable causes.

The World Health Organization (WHO) commemorated World Health Day 2005 in New Delhi by launching The World Health Report, which this year features the theme of “Make Every Mother and Child Count.”

Following the WHO launch, the Partnership for Safe Motherhood and Newborn Health, together with the Healthy Newborn Partnership, the Child Survival Partnership, and the Government of India, convened a global meeting “Lives in the Balance: The Partnership Meeting on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health” from 7-9 April. Officials from nine countries (Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Cambodia, Ethiopia, India, Nepal, United Republic of Tanzania, and Uganda) were joined by representatives of international agencies (including FIGO), development partners, and civil society groups to discuss the need for increasing the scale of interventions that could prevent millions of deaths of mothers, newborns, and children.

At the close of the meeting, participants presented a statement of commitment to maternal, newborn, and child health, called the “Delhi Declaration”, to Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson of India’s National Advisory Council.

A copy of the declaration can be found by clicking here. [Link to PDF file]. Additional information can be obtained by visiting the Safe Motherhood website.