Maternal mortality and morbidity has grabbed headlines in recent years, especially with the governmental push on the JSY. Though average figures have come down in recent years, the actual figures continue to be exceptionally high especially with disadvantaged social groups. Even today, nearly seventy five thousand women lose their lives due to reasons connected to pregnancy and childbirth; many hundred thousands more face live threatening complications.

The International Conference on Population and Development, in the historic deliberations in Cairo in 1994 affirmed the right of women to go through pregnancy and childbirth without fear of death or disability. Later the Millennium Development Goals considered reduction of Maternal Mortality as one of its eight important goals.  On the 15^th Anniversary of ICPD, the UN Human Rights Council in its 11^th session in June 2009 adopted a resolution recognizing preventable maternal mortality as an issue of the human rights of women and girls.

In relation to these precedents, and as a part of the nationwide ICPD +15 Gain and Gaps review process, the national platform Healthwatch Forum India, in collaboration with Center for Reproductive Rights (New York) is organising a public meeting on Maternal Health, Human Rights and Law on August 1, 2009, from 9 am till 1 pm at the India International Centre Annexe, Conference Room 3. During this meeting Adv. Anand Grover, noted human rights lawyer and UN Special Rapporteur on Right to Health will address the issue.  The Centre for Reproductive Rights will also launch their publication “ Maternal Mortality in India: using International and Constitutional Law to promote Accountability and Change”.

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