Mother's Night 2009

It was the third year that Mother’s Night was organised in the Netherlands to draw attention to Millennium Development Goal 5 and the steps that need to be taken to achieve this goal. This year’s theme was teenage pregnancies and about 350 people were in Rotterdam to attend this both informative and entertaining event.

International event
2009 marks the year in which the concept of Mother’s Night was taken up at different countries and locations, not only there were eight regional Mother’s Nights in The Netherlands, but also countries like Germany, Belgium, Malta, Hungary and Pakistan joined this call for attention for mother’s worldwide.

The Netherlands, Rotterdam
The event in Rotterdam started by a film displaying cases of teenage pregnancies in both The Netherlands in developing countries. The audience was confronted with real experiences and facts, like a young mother with a disturbing breech case taken to the hospital by bike. Being shocking at times, this film brought unity among those in the audience.

Cases
4 cases were discussed:

prevention and care regarding teenage pregnancy;
exuality education;
(lack) of (youth friendly) services
What can politicians of the Netherlands do?

Minister Koenders, for Development Cooperation, participated through a video message, regretting he couldn’t attend and by saying that MDG5 is one of his priorities. He congratulated the audience that the Dutch Mother’s Night was in 8 different cities this time, and also in some European cities for the first time. He wants to invest in young people, in SRHR and in mother’s and girls, and emphasises that men/boys have a great responsibility in this.

Paul Bekkers, the Aids Ambassador of the Dutch ministry of foreign Affairs represented minister Koenders at Mother’s Night. Introduced by three one-minute-messages on the three main recommendations, Paul Bekkers received the Call to Action on reducing maternal mortality and morbidity of teenagers. Michiel Andeweg, a 17 year old member of CHOICE, also presented a couple of hundred signatures to encourage the Minister in his work to fight teenage maternal mortality. Paul Bekkers reacted positively on the Call to Action and he called for all organisations to explicitly take up meaningful youth participation in their policies, and that the ministry can do a little more to oversee this. Please find the Call to Action presented at minister Koenders attached.

Germany
In Germany, DSW organised the event together with five partners: Action for Global Health, Care Germany-Luxemburg, Oxfam Germany, Rotarian Action Group, and World Vision. We had a very nice programme with some entertainment and a panel discussion with - among others - Karin Kortmann, State Secretary in the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, and Demeter Maragart Namuyobo, midwife from Uganda. Approximately 60 people attended the Mother's Night in Berlin. In the end of the evening the partners handed over to Karin Kortmann a call for action. The partners especially ask the federal government to increase investments for the health-related MDGs, to strengthen health systems in low- and middle-income countries, and to support universal access to sexual and reproductive health. Karin Kortmann promised to start a dialogue with the partners on their call to action. Overall, the first Mother's Night in Germany was a good start, on which we will build up in 2010, and make the event a greater success.

Malta
SOS Malta showed real guts to call for attention to issues like abortion and sexual health policies (specifically geared towards teenage sexual activity and pregnancy) in Malta. SOS Malta, aims to follow up with the issues at hand by creating awareness and solutions to improve general maternal health in developing countries, rather than turning a blind eye to issues that affect us all.

Pakistan
World Population Foundation Pakistan organised Mother’s Night together with National Trust for Population Welfare (NATPOW) on 9 May. A number of mothers and well known artists participated. There was also room for discussion about safe motherhood; teenage marriages, maternal nutrition and maternal mortality. Several crucial issues came up:

the need for sensitizing communities about the three major reasons for maternal deaths i.e. pregnancies that are too early, too soon and/or too many.
The need for health and nutritional education be incorporated in formal curricula of the schools.
Male involvement through mass community sensitisation efforts should be ensured to influence the heads of families - who are usually men.
The provision of adequate health infrastructure
Finally, the need to invest in youth organizations working on the issue of sexual and reproductive health and rights was stressed as such youth networks can play a pivotal role in reducing maternal mortality among teenaged girls.

Saving the soul bearers
WPF Pakistan launched their Advocacy campaign “Saving the soul bearers” on Safe Motherhood. They also granted the ‘Best Mother Award’ to Benazir Bhutto, former chair person of the Pakistan People’s Party, for her efforts to raise the issue of maternal mortality in Pakistan at a global level.

Reports
For a report of the international acitivities on Mother's Night visit: www.moedernacht.nl and click on the different countries.
For Belgium, visit Sensoa.be
For Pakistan, please visit www.wpfpak.org.