Lobby Day for Safe Motherhood Recap

Last Thursday, a handful of Americans for UNFPA staff and nearly 30 supporters from a dozen states gathered in Washington DC to ask our elected officials to take action to end maternal deaths. This year we focused our annual Lobby Day, which coincides with International Women’s Day, on the issue of global Safe Motherhood because if we can rally support for the health and rights of mothers around the world, we can succeed in achieving a healthier and more dignified world for all women.

And thanks to the efforts of our supporters, our message was heard: 20 members of the House of Representatives have already co-sponsored House Resolution 1022, which is focused on ending maternal death (at home and abroad). Included in these co-sponsors are several we met with during our Lobby Day, such as Representatives Chet Edwards (TX), Tammy Baldwin (WI), and Jan Schakowsky (IL). And we hope and expect more will follow.

So let me give a hearty thank-you to: Annette, Amy, Amy, Arlene, Cabby, Cheryl, Chris, Clif, Donna, Ellen, Eman, Esraa, Jeanine, Jill, Kristin, Lara, Lauren, Leila, Madison, Melissa, Micaela, Michaela, Nora, Peggy, Phyllis, Saphonia, Sharon, Tatiana, and Vicki. Good work, and I look forward to working with you in the future for the health and dignity of women everywhere.

-Jesse

PS. Please feel free to share your thoughts and experiences from Lobby Day below.

Videocast Answers

Thank you everyone for participating. Here are your video responses below each question.

Jenny, New York asked...
"I can’t make it to Washington, DC, and I don’t have a lot of money to contribute, so what can I do from home to help change this situation?"

Mary Kate, New York asked...
“I understand the importance of maternal death, but why focus just on that? What about a problem like fistula, in which woman is physically and socially hurt and which may last years?”

Abby asked...
"Do you have examples of countries where UNFPA's Safe Motherhood work has been particularly successful? "

Emily asked...
"Angeline, I am also curious about how UNFPA decides which projects it will fund and which countries it will work in."

Vicki asked......

"I'm pretty sure the U.S. does support some efforts to improve the status of women and their health (USAID does some of this work, I'm pretty sure the U.S. does support some efforts to improve the status of women and their health (USAID does some of this work, for example); is there something essential about UNFPA's methods which aren't practiced by US gov't efforts, or is the issue simply one of quantity and not quality?"