Campaigners say 'Every Day Should be Mother's Day'

They may be political rivals at the forthcoming Westminster election but some of Northern Ireland's leading Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights politicians are coming together for a Mother's Day campaign in support of maternal healthcare in the developing world.

Michelle Gildernew MP MLA, Naomi Long MLA, Dolores Kelly MLA and Daphne Trimble will gather at the bedside of a mother and new baby in the Ulster Hospital, Dundonald this Thursday (1:30pm) to launch the 'Mum's Manifesto'.

The campaign is being organised by a broad coalition of groups including Amnesty International, the Royal College of Midwives and Save the Children's rights. The campaigners, who are supported by celebrity supporters including The Duchess of York and Davina McCall, are calling for greater global protection of the basic rights for mothers and Children's rights. They want a government commitment to increase financing of maternal and child health in developing countries and to place maternal and child health at the heart of strengthening those countries’ health systems. Success in reducing the ratio of maternal mortality has been achieved in several developing countries in recent years, including Rwanda where reports suggest that the country has reduced its death toll of pregnancy-related deaths from eight to one a day.

Patrick Corrigan, Northern Ireland Programme Director of Amnesty International said:

"Every minute, somewhere in the world, a Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights dies needlessly in childbirth. Almost always, her baby will die too. This is a human rights crisis demanding immediate action. We want the UK Government to do more in helping to stop the preventable deaths of Women's rights's rightss rights's rights's rights's rights and Children's rights. We want every day to be Mother's Day and that's why we are launching the Mum's Manifesto today."