NEW YORK, Oct. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- (South-South News): The Prime Minister Winston Baldwin Spencer of Antigua and Barbuda and Ambassador Francis Lorenzo, President of South-South News presented United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon with a recognition award at an official member state luncheon today in New York City for his commitment and leadership in promoting the Global Strategy for Women and Children's Health. "Thank you for choosing me to honor with this great award. I accept this award on behalf of the men and women working across the globe to save millions of women, new born infants, and children," said the United Nations Secretary-General during his remarks.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100916/NY66272LOGO )

Led by the Secretary General, the Global Strategy for Women and Children's Health is a roadmap that lays out an approach for global, multi-sector collaboration and identifies finance and policy changes needed, as well as critical interventions urgently required to improve services delivery and save the lives of millions of women and children around the world.

Ambassador Francis Lorenzo, President of South-South News said, "This is a vital year for the United Nations and the international community to gear up efforts to accelerate progress towards MDGs 4 and 5 on Child Mortality and Maternal Health, building on Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon's initiative for a 'Global Strategy for Women and Children's Health.'"

"Hope is synonymous with what the Millennium Development Goals stand for, hope for the global south, hope for the women and children of the developing countries who are the present and the future," said the General Manager of South-South News, Mildred Espinoza during the introductory remarks.

The luncheon highlighted the importance of prioritizing the health of those most adversely affected by crisis and poverty -- women and children.

Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer also emphasized the need for global cooperation in combating disease and supporting women and children all over the world, expressing a similar urgency. "Today we recognize your considerable effort to place the issue of addressing maternal and child health at the top of the development agenda; your untiring commitment to highlighting the importance of investing in women and girls to meet the MDGs; your commitment to empowering women, who must led the way; and finally, your personal pledge to do everything possible to ensure that the organization which you so ably lead does its part in delivering on the promise by all stakeholders of health and a better future for every woman and every child," said the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda in his closing remarks.

Alongside with South-South News and the Permanent Mission of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations, the luncheon was also supported by the governments of Tajikistan, El Salvador, Kenya, Bangladesh, Fiji, Dominica, Zambia, Rwanda and Nigeria as well the Miami Children's Hospital and Foundation.

The luncheon was capped off by the Secretary General, who reminded his guests not to forget the reason for the gathering, urging them to keep women and children at the top of the priority list in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

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