Media advisory: Launch of the Commission on Women's Health in the African Region

What? Launch of the Commission on Women’s Health in the African region.

When? 14 April 2010

Where? City Hall, Monrovia, Liberia

Who? Liberian President Ellen Johnson – Sirleaf who is also the Honorary President of the Commission on Women’s Health in the African Region will launch the 18- member multidisciplinary body. The other main speakers at the launch include WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, the Minister of Health of Rwanda and current chair of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, Dr Richard Sezibera and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Liberia, Mrs Ellen Loj.

Also expected to attend the launch are Liberian cabinet ministers and other senior government officials; Heads or Representatives of Diplomatic missions accredited to Liberia ; representatives of UN Agencies, bilateral and bilateral organizations, and members of the secretariat of the Commission.

Why? Maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa is estimated at 900 per 100 000 live births, and remains the highest in the world. On an average, one out of every 26 women is at risk of dying during childbirth in the region compared to one woman in every 7,300 in developed countries. Against this background, the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, at its fifty-eighth session in 2008, adopted Resolution AFR/RC58/R1 requesting, among others, the Regional Director to establish a Commission on Women’s Health.

In response to this resolution, the Regional Director established a multi-disciplinary Commission of 18 members comprising high level political per-sonalities, including parliamentarians; representative of the African Union; so-ciologists, economists, epidemiologists, public health physicians, researchers , and obstetricians and gynecologists.

The main terms of reference of the Commission are to generate evidence on the key factors influencing the current state of women’s health in Sub-Saharan African countries and make appropriate recommendations. The Commission’s recommendations are expected to address what needs to be done from the po-litical, socio-economic, cultural and health systems perspectives to improve women’s health, and in particular, to reduce the present unacceptable level of maternal mortality.

For more information, please contact:

Technical contact:
Dr. Andrew Kosia – Tel: +47 39102 – E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Media contact:
Eric Johnson – Tel : (231) 7-77513516 E-mail : This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Samuel Ajibola – Tel : +47 241 39378 – E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Collins Boakye-Agyemang – Tel : +47 241 39420, E-mail : This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it