A busy women’s week

Mar 17th, 2010 1:57 PM UTC
By Jessica.Gomez.Duran

3000 white roses highlighted the fact that every minute of every day a mother-to-be from somewhere around the world dies simply because they don’t have access to the vital healthcare they need before and during childbirth. © Save the Children

Last week was an unofficial women’s week in the UK with a string of events starting with International Women’s Day on the Monday, the launch of ONE’s Women ONE2ONE campaign, and ending with Mothering Sunday (Mothers Day here in the UK).

On Friday I joined a gathering outside the Houses of Parliament in London to take part in the ‘Minute for Mothers’ event organised by our friends at Save the Children. The idea was to bring people together to remember the women and babies who unnecessarily lose their lives every day.

Everyone was given a tag to write a personalised message of support, which was then attached to a white rose and added to the display.

The singer and campaigner Annie Lennox spoke at the event, which also included a moving minute’s silence in memory of the women who die in childbirth every minute of every day, and for the 2 million babies who die on their first day of life every year.

Afterwards, just as the rain started (it’s Britain after all) we headed into the House of Commons for a mum’s cafe run by the online forum Mumsnet. Following some lovely tea and biscuits served by the Mumsnet folk dressed in brightly coloured dresses and aprons, we listened to moving speeches, which literally brought a tear to my eye.

Annie Lennox spoke passionately about the fact that HIV has become the leading cause of death and disease among women of reproductive age worldwide. Whilst Gareth Thomas MP, Minister of State in the Department for International Development talked about his trip to Sierra Leone and what he saw there, urging people to continue to advocate strongly on this important issue. Jasmine Whitbread, CEO of Save the Children in the UK closed the event, highlighting her recent visit to Niger and northern Nigeria where she saw firsthand the benefits of informal groups and networks of women supporting each other and passing on advice, particularly in the more remote rural areas.

It was a powerful end to a week of events focussing on the situation that many women today find themselves in around the world. But it also showed that when women have access to education, health services, economic opportunities and political process, they, their children, their communities and their countries reap the benefits.

P.S. It’s not too late to take part. Send a virtual flower, which will be delivered to the party leaders in the UK.

TAGS: UK