From 19-22 September 2010, EPF participated to a series of event and conferences held in the context of September 2010 High-Level Meeting which was dedicated to the MDGs.

The aim of the EPF visit was twofold: to listen to the voices of World Leaders, Members of Parliament and civil society representatives at UN level and to gather information about the latest developments and initiatives on global health sexual and reproductive health and rights, women’s empowerment and gender equality. Ahead of the summit, EPF as well as numerous other organisations co-hosted a Women Deliver Brunch on Accelerating Action on the MDGs: Delivering for Girls, Women, and Babies. The EPF team facilitated a francophone table discussion at this event where General Assembly delegates gathered for a dialogue with bilateral donors, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), First Ladies, youth leaders and the private sector on how to secure the resources and political will needed to achieve MDGs. Finally, EPF invited parliamentary delegates to come engage with major actors and prominent voices in the SRHR community as at a UNFPA/IPPF Side Event entitled 1.8 Billion Strong on the uttermost importance and urgency of investing in Youth in order to reach the MDGs.

EPF also attended a number of side events, such as the launch of the Global Leaders Council for Reproductive Health where former Presidents and outstanding individuals outlined the needs for addressing the unmet need for sexual and reproductive health and family planning services; the Global Health Workforce alliance side-event “No health workforce; No health MDGs. Is that acceptable?” where panellists stressed the clear and critical links between the health workforce and the achievement of health MDGs 4, 5 and 6; and, finally a discussion on “Population and Environment linking MDG5 and MDG7”. Organised by Population Action International (PAI), the Center for Environment and Population (CEP) and the Sierra Club.

Despite the strong UN commitment to Maternal Health and SRHR through MDG 5 and 5b, long-term funding for the provision and universal access to comprehensive reproductive health and family planning services remains inconsistent. During an executive lunch with IPPF Executive Director Dr Gill Greer, Danish Members of Parliament in turn expressed their shared concerns about long-term funding commitments and demonstrated their unstinting support for women's rights and SRHR which they directly relayed within their national delegation.

EPF will pursue its advocacy efforts by joining the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health while supporting parliamentary engagement at the UN level through a range of follow-up activities for Members of Parliament such as a series written and oral Parliamentary questions and actions to bolster EU support for SRHR in UN and hold world leaders accountable for the commitments made with regard to women’s and children’s Health.