UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Honored

Global Strategy for Women and Children's Health

The Prime Minister Winston Baldwin Spencer of Antigua and Barbuda and Ambassador Francis Lorenzo, president of South-South News presented United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon with a recognition award at an official member state luncheon Friday in New York City for his commitment and leadership in promoting the Global Strategy for Women and Children’s Health.

“Thank you for choosing me to honor with this great award. I accept this award on behalf of the men and women working across the globe to save millions of women, new born infants, and children,” said the United Nations Secretary-General during his remarks.

Led by the Secretary General, the Global Strategy for Women and Children’s Health is a roadmap that lays out an approach for global, multi-sector collaboration and identifies finance and policy changes needed, as well as critical interventions urgently required to improve services delivery and save the lives of millions of women and children around the world.

Ambassador Francis Lorenzo, president of South-South News said, “This is a vital year for the United Nations and the international community to gear up efforts to accelerate progress towards Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5 on Child Mortality and Maternal Health, building on Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon’s initiative for a ‘Global Strategy for Women and Children’s Health.'”

The event highlighted the importance of prioritizing the health of those most adversely affected by crisis and poverty — women and children.