On Barack Obama & Maternal Health
Like many in the United States, I am both excited and anxious about whether Barack Obama is going change the direction of this country in terms of the economy, energy, health care, and social responsibility (just to name a few!). Lately, it is impossible to avoid the President’s name in casual conversation, or to turn a corner without seeing the iconic blue and red vector of his demeanor on a T-shirt… Were it any other politician, I think that the message of hope and unity would have rung empty, trite, and insincere; but I have faith that with the new administration, programs such as Mothers Day Every Day and the United Nations Population Fund can flourish and truly make a huge difference in the lives of moms both here and abroad.
WRA, CARE and a bipartisan group of civic leaders and Members of Congress have already called for the United States to play a greater role on the world stage to empower women – starting with healthy pregnancy and safe childbirth – to contribute to the health, self-sufficiency, economic growth and peaceful sustainability of families, communities and nations. Currently, plans are underway to hold the first ever Congressional hearings on maternal mortality and to mobilize the American people to appeal to Congress and the Obama Administration to elevate maternal and newborn health in the nation’s priorities for foreign assistance. How Obama will react to such activism in light of current economic circumstances remains to be seen, but I have confidence in his leadership and foresight.
It’s a difficult time to promote charity and good will when friends are being laid off due to massive job cut backs, or when the house next door is being foreclosed (one of thousands around the country); but perhaps some sort of middle ground can be found…
