Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

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Every two minutes, a woman dies in pregnancy or childbirth.

Many of them are adolescent girls.

With the right information, supplies and interventions, their lives can be saved.

That is why, in 2010, I launched the Global Strategy for Women's and Children's Health.

We need to accelerate progress on the health-related Millennium Development Goals, on which progress was lagging the most.

Our aim is to save the lives of 16 million women and children, and improve the lives of millions more, by 2015.

We all have a role to play in this effort.

Academic and research institutions will be especially important.

You can deliver a prioritized and coordinated global research agenda.

You can build capacity in research institutions in low- and middle- income countries.

Science and evidence-based research are indispensable tools.

Already, you have developed remarkable global public goods.

You have given adolescents, women and men more choices for family planning.

You have defined the most appropriate combination of medicines to help us eliminate paediatric HIV infection.

Let us continue together down this path. It is within our power to end the needless death, suffering and disability.

Let us be brave, think big and do our best for every woman and every child.

Thank you.

Statements on 21 June 2012