Nieuwsbrief

Study tour participants gained a valuable first-hand insight into how reproductive health and family planning programmes can effectively contribute to reducing maternal mortality. They visited community health centres run by CHETNA, other NGOs and the government in the States of Gujarat and Rajasthan. These centres offer reproductive health services and supplies to local population, especially the marginalised communities. They learned about the latest developments in reducing maternal mortality, such as financial benefits offered to women to enable them to deliver in hospital as well as a state-run tracking system for antenatal, birth and neonatal services delivery.

In Delhi the Parliamentarians met with 18 Members of the Indian Parliament of the Indian Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (IAPPD - a member of AFPPD), FPAI, the EU Delegation in Delhi and UNFPA Country Office, and discussed the current national policies aiming to reduce maternal and infant mortality, malnutrition and to increase literacy levels. Parliamentarians noted the big progress that India has made in the last 10 years in terms of reducing maternal deaths. They also stressed that education and women's empowerment are the keys to reducing maternal mortality and stated their duty as decision makers to close the gaps between the rich and the poor both in India and the EU. The MEPs also urged Indian Parliamentarians to cooperate with NGOs as effective service providers, especially in most remote areas and with marginalised populations. Good governance and reduction of bureaucratic procedures would also enable women to access the services they are entitled to.

Upon their return, MEPs plan to engage in dialogue within the UN and G20 to reduce poverty and to achieve MDG 5. They will also use the evidence gathered during the study tour for their political work in Development, Education and Gender Equality Committees of the European Parliament.