Advocacy • Press

MARCH 7th 2005 | GENEVA

WHO Director-General appoints Liya Kebede as Goodwill Ambassador for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Dr LEE Jong-wook today appointed Ethiopian fashion model Liya Kebede as WHO's Goodwill Ambassador for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health. As Goodwill Ambassador, she will highlight the fact that each year more than half a million women die during pregnancy and childbirth, and nearly 11 million children die before they reach their fifth birthday. Almost all of these women and children die in developing countries.

A supermodel and a mother, Mrs Kebede will help WHO in its campaign to improve the health of mothers and children. Her appointment comes exactly one month before World Health Day 2005 - when WHO calls on the world to "Make Every Mother and Child Count". Liya Kebede's first official function will be to take part in the global World Health Day celebrations in New Delhi, India on 7 April.

"I am pleased to appoint Liya Kebede as WHO's new Goodwill Ambassador for Maternal, Newborn and Child health," said Dr Lee in a presentation at WHO Headquarters. "Liya is a perfect ambassador for this issue - not only is she a young woman and a working mother - she is an Ethiopian who has risen to the top of her industry. She has experienced firsthand the huge gap that exists between two very different worlds and she passionately wants to use her global success and visibility to help bridge this gap."

Liya Kebede added, "As an Ethiopian and a mother, I was shocked to learn that so many women and children continue to die unnecessarily each year. In Ethiopia one in 14 women die in pregnancy and childbirth and two in every ten children die before their fifth birthdays. I am completely committed to using my profile to help ensure that these women and children's deaths no longer go unnoticed and unchallenged."

Prior to her appointment as WHO's Goodwill Ambassador, in January 2005, Liya visited the Addis Ababa Fistula hospital and the Missionaries of Charity Orphanage. She also visited Hiwot, the 17-year old mother from WHO's Great Expectations photo feature two days after the birth of her baby. Maternal and child health is the theme of this year's World Health Report and World Health Day. The World Health Report will be launched in New Delhi on 7 April.

Reducing the number of women dying in childbirth by three-quarters and reducing child mortality by two thirds by 2015 is one of the key goals of the Millennium Declaration. These goals were agreed by world leaders from 189 countries at the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000.

Deborra-Lee Furness Jackman, actress, stood in for her husband, Hugh Jackman, Tony-Award winning actor (The Boy from Oz) and star of the hit movie, X-Men: The Last Stand. Mr. Jackman, who was scheduled to emcee the evening with his wife, was called to LA for a premiere and appeared via video with his personal apology and an inspiring message.

Angelina Jolie also provided a video message with her daughter, Zahara, born in Ethiopia and adopted by Ms. Jolie in 2005, in her arms. Ms. Jolie said she was at the Gala in spirit and pledged her continued support of WWOís work. Ms. Jolie was WWOís Special Guest at its first Gala in 2005.

Mary-Louise Parker, Tony-Award winner (Proof) and star of TVís Weeds and West Wing, was WWOís Special Guest, and provided a moving introduction of WWOís Dr. Aronson.

Liya Kebede, World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, WWOís Special Guest, introduced a short documentary film that highlighted some of WWOís work over the past year. The film was narrated by Andre Braugher, star of TVís Homicide.

Entertainment was directed by Kathleen Marshall, Tony-Award winning director and choreographer (The Pajama Game, Wonderful Town), with Peter Hanson, stage manager, and included performances by Donna Murphy, Tony-Award winning actress (The King and I and Passion); Melissa Errico actress and singer; Kristin Chenoweth, Tony-Award winning actress (Charlie Brown) and featured actress on West Wing; Peter Jay Fernandez, the blues singer, accompanied by Michael Parrish, pianist; and five children from AHOPE orphanage in Ethiopia.

WWOís 2006 Honorary Gala Committee was chaired by James Haven. Committee members included Andre Braugher, Ann Hampton Callaway, Christine Ebersole, Cindy Hsu, Liya Kebede, Kathleen Marshall, Donna Murphy, Mary-Louise Parker, Alexandra Postman, Steve Schirripa, and Bill Weir.

The mission of Worldwide Orphans Foundation is to identify the immediate and long-term medical, developmental, social and emotional needs of children living in orphanages and to provide direct services to improve their quality of life. Founded in 1997 by renowned adoption medicine specialist, Dr. Jane Aronson, WWO has established humanitarian programs in Ethiopia, Viet Nam, Bulgaria, Serbia/Montenegro, Azerbaijan, and China. For more information, please visit www.wwo.org.

promote the Regional Child Survival Strategy and the African Roadmap in revitalizing health services. My journey will be featured in a documentary disseminated to media networks around the world to inform them of the great work WHO and its partners are doing. In particular, helping to reduce maternal and child mortality, especially in a crisis such as the current flooding. The documentary will also emphasize the importance of improving the sanitation environment, which is among the lowest coverage rate in the world.

I have made my pledge to advocate for greater support from governments to fight against maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity. I know many initiatives are under way in different countries like the program of the ìHeath Extension Workersî I have seen in my most recent visit to Ethiopia. In this case, young women from the communities are trained to help other young women in basic primary care, hygiene, immunization and midwifery skills. It is truly amazing to see them in action, as I am sure your individual initiatives are, and I look forward to the opportunity to know more and visit with all of you in the near future. I know together we can work to prevent these deaths, educate women on safe birthing practices and empower communities to bring healthy newborns into this world.

Thank You Liya Kebede WHO's Goodwill Ambassador for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health