INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

That this House recognises the importance of International Women's Day on 8th March; notes that it has been observed for almost 100 years and that significant achievements have been made to advance women's equality during that time; further notes with dismay the continuing challenges women face to achieve social, economic and political equality and the failure to make progress on the important targets set by Millennium Development Goal 5, to reduce by three quarters the maternal mortality ratio; further notes that there are still more than 500,000 women dying globally each year from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth and that this is a denial of their basic human rights; and therefore demands greater efforts by the international development community to increase funding and technical expertise to solve this continuing public health emergency.