22nd March 2009 - Linda raises plight of mothers this Mothering Sunday

This Mother’s Day, local Labour Euro-MP and health campaigner Linda McAvan has added her support to the White Ribbon Alliance for Safer Motherhood. 

On any day more than 1,400 women will die as a result of complications during pregnancy or childbirth, either because they have no access to health care or cannot afford it. It is a humanitarian crisis that is affecting the poorest women in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Ms McAvan has twice organised major fundraising dinners for the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia, which treats women who develop difficulties during childbirth.

She has added her voice to those calling on the European Union to reach its target of spending 20% of development aid on building health care systems to make childbirth safer.

Linda McAvan says;

"Mother’s Day gives us a chance to spend time with our own families, but also to think of those around the world. 40% of women globally give birth without any skilled assistance. There are thousands upon thousands of grieving motherless children in the developing world.

She added;

"I am proud of the record of European legislation in improving the lives of women in Britain – from minimum maternity leave to equal pension rights. But whilst we still have more to do here, we have much more to do before we can be satisfied that we have done all we must to improve the lives of mothers around the world.”