FIGO is very fortunate to have engaged Dr Flavia Bustreo as a special consultant to FIGO. Dr Bustreo was the former World Health Organization (WHO) Assistant Director-General for Family, Women's and Children's Health. 

At WHO, she also served as Deputy Director and then Director of The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health from 2006 to 2010. In 2004-2005, she served as Interim Deputy Director of the Child Survival Partnership. 

This week we watched international donors and governments from around the world step up to the challenge, pledging $1 billion to the Global Financing Facility (GFF) at their Replenishment Event.

Quality of care is a priority for reducing preventable maternal and child deaths. It is also the theme for this year’s International Day of the Midwife; ‘Midwives leading the way with quality care’. 

Maternal mortality rates are falling. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), maternal mortality worldwide decreased by around 44 per cent between 1990 and 2015, with the first aim of SDG3 - part of the UN Sustainable Development Goals - being to reduce the ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030.

However, the WHO admits that maternal mortality remains "unacceptably high", with some 830 women dying from pregnancy or childbirth-related complications worldwide every day.

Nobel Peace Prize winning gynaecologist and human rights activist Dr Denis Mukwege addresses his colleagues at the FIGO World Congress 2018, shortly after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Dr Mukwege was recognised for his outstanding work in the treatment of women subjected to sexual violence, and as a global campaigner against the use of rape as a weapon for war.

Cervical cancer is a grave threat to women’s health and lives. Globally, one woman dies of cervical cancer every two minutes. This suffering is unacceptable, particularly as cervical cancer is largely preventable and treatable, when detected early.