Maternal Mortality Public Forum to be Held at United Nations Church Center May 16, 1:45-3:15 PM

NEW YORK, May 16, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The NGO Committee on the Status of Women/NY (NGO CSW/NY) is hosting a public forum to discuss America's rate of maternal mortality, during and after pregnancy, which currently ranks as worst of all nations in the developed world. The forum will take place at the Church Center at the United Nations, Second Floor, 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY, on Thursday, May 16, from 1:45 to 3:15 pm. Admission is free, no RSVP or UN ground pass is required, however, seating is limited.

A panel of experts, moderated by NGO CSW/NY's Yvonne O'Neal, will discuss a wide range of contributing and often tragic factors that impact the health and safety of women, especially women of color, leading up to, during and after childbirth.

"Maternal mortality and morbidity, especially among Black women, is a public health crisis in New York City -- and it's an acute symptom of a far broader problem, reflecting the underlying sexism and racism in our society," says New York City Council Member Helen Rosenthal, Chair of the Committee on Women & Gender Equity.

"I'm proud to have sponsored two new local laws which will give our mothers more support and better track maternal health outcomes, but so much more is needed. The NGO Commission on the Status of Women/NY's public forum this week is an incredibly important opportunity to build awareness and develop comprehensive, long-lasting solutions for our maternal health crisis," Rosenthal continues.

The CDC and other prominent health organizations confirm that the incidence of poor maternal health is worsening in the U.S. The likelihood of experiencing a severe pregnancy complication and dying from it are rising, with black women suffering life-threatening complications twice as often as white women, and dying four times as often — even as the U.S. spends more per capita on maternal health than any other nation. Research suggests that as many as half of these deaths may be preventable.

The May 16th forum will bring together a panel of speakers and advocates who will examine the intersectionality of health, law, human rights, gender equality, racial discrimination, structural racism and other issues that are underlying contributors to global maternal mortality and morbidity.

The panelists include Ms. Jamarah Amani, Community Midwife and Director of the Southern Birth Justice Network (southernbirthjustice.org) and public speaker (goldlearning.com), Ms. Sevonna Brown, Assistant Executive Director of Black Women's Blueprint (blackwomensblueprint.org); Ms. Pilar Herrero, Senior Staff Attorney, Center for Reproductive Rights (reproductiverights.org); and Ms. Anneka Knutsson, Chief, Sexual and Reproductive Health Branch, UNFPA (unfpa.org).

The forum is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the United Nations Development Programme (undp.org). The SDGs are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. According to Yvonne O'Neal, a representative of the NGO CSW/NY, "One of the SDG targets is to reduce, by 2030, the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births." Statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO) support this target. It cites the disparity in maternal mortality ratios in developing countries, which in 2015 were 239 per 100,000 live births, versus just 12 per 100,000 live births in developing countries.

The CDC reports an average of 700 maternal deaths annually in the U.S. The causes of death range from severe bleeding, infection, and high blood pressure during pregnancy (pre-eclampsia and eclampsia), to complications from delivery and unsafe abortions. "With improved pre-natal care and awareness during pregnancy and better quality medical attention during birth, more mothers' lives can be saved," adds Ms. O'Neal. "That's why this public forum is so important."

About NGO CSW/NY

The NGO Committee on the Status of Women, NY (NGO CSW/NY), supports the work of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and UN Women. NGO CSW/NY is an untiring advocate with Member States for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls across the globe in support of the work of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and UN Women. NGO CSW/NY supports the implementation of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, UN Security Resolution 1325, the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Convention to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

NGO CSW/NY represents more than 100 member organizations and individuals concerned about the status of women and girls. Events at the UN headquarters in New York are monitored on a daily basis with daily participation.

To learn more, visit http://www.ngocsw.org

SOURCE NGO CSW/NY