LynnCSchreiber - live blog from Family Planning Summit on 11th July

SHe was gynae and had the girls and women coming into the hospitals after botched abortions.

we the poeple have been sitting on the fence and counting numbers. Family planning saves lives.

Oh, it was Zambia not Gambia. Was still writing up the Mary Robinson speech.

Economic increase has not matched the population growth.

Maternal mortality is v high compared to developed nations. When you look at other contributing factors, we start to see a picture.

that beleife that a woman has no voice. the voice that a man can make a decision on behalf of a woman.

men refuse to use condoms, because they think if a woman uses condoms that they have been promiscuous.

they decide how many children a woman has.

FP uptake is rising, partnering with civil society, private for profit and non profit

access a big issue, commodities int he country not getting to the people.

First Lady of Gambia speaking next.

This is more like it! Mary Robinson was great.

talking about 'leadership' / global leaders council

reproductive health and family planning needed to be on the agenda

UN foundation have created a website / why we care / where you can share your story

A number of us were at Rio conference, a backsliding on the Cairo conference. Extremely sad that reproductive rights were not to be recognised.

Cairo and Beijing texts are fundamental and must be upheld.

Was with Desmond Tutu and ?? Finland someone ? in Sudan

and met a women's group - first they allowed the representative from elderly then the youth / list of prioritiies, no1 was to limit child marriage.

A lawyer led the conversation. They were not entirely comfortable discussing this. They were encouraged when Tutu jumped up and agreed with them.

70% of children never been to school in this part of South Sudan
Domestic violence

I am asking myself, how quickly with support get to the women? The pledging is very important, but how does this get to the women's group.

I wish I could stay longer, but planes don't wait for me anymore!

Will take notes here, and try to keep names straight.

Mariella Frostrup is running the session to begin with but has to leave early as it is her DD's schools certificate day (I think she said). We are running late cause of the Presidents long speeches.

She talks about her personal

1 woman dies every 90 seconds in pregnancy or childbirht
2/3 of the worlds illiterate are female

we have failed dismally,, talking about having it all but these are women who have nothing at all .. for too long we sat on our hands

(will try to get a transcript of this speech, it is excellent - I am not quick enough typist)

telling a story of a woman raped and abused in Sudan. 'she was hardly in a position to argue for birth control

Now Mary Robinson to talk

Now at the side event on Women and Girls' empowerment by Save the Children and Women and Children First

and will go on to a IPPF / Save the Children event about young people and access to family planning

4.3bn USD was sought to be raised.

2bn USD from developing world
2.6bn USD from donor community

We have shown that we can talk the talk. We now need to show that we can walk the walk.

Andrew Mitchell.

Melinda Gates said that in their house, they like the women to have the last word, 'What an incredible day for women around the world'

Number crunching going on apparently. It is a bit like Comic Relief, except we haven't had hourly updates.

Lots more stats being thrown around by Andrew Mitchell.

UN Executive Director talks of connecting the dots of money, innovation, partnership, R&D, integration..

Everyone has brought a gift to the wedding, and those are the gifts. And tomorrow the marriage starts.

But we cannot work alone. We need governments and civil society. As we go forth, one of the imperitives in this marriage, we cannto go without Cairo. (Declaration)

Inclusiveness, everybody must have the right to FP. We must have proper method mix so we are not forcing people to go for one method or the other. We must have education.

This is the beginning of a new career for me. I personally commit to this, and I commit UNaid to this.

This is a beginning of a new era for the UN, according to Dr Osotimehin, Executive Director of the UN population fund.

The First Lady of Burkina Faso, Chantal Compaore is speaking in French. Much clearer than the speakers earlier, but I will not try and translate it, in case I get it wrong

Uganda President 'I was told to speak for 5 mins, but I did not come 5000 miles for 5 mins. This is not a theatre and I am not an act'

That is all very well, Mr President, but we are missing tea break. You don't want to come between British bloggers and their tea and biccies.

The problem with inviting 5 heads of states to speak at such a conference, is that they are still talking now, and this part of the programme was supposed to be over at 3pm. We are now going into tea and coffee break and there are another 2 guests still to speak

Family planning should be out of choice and not out of manipulation.

according to Ugandan President.

Only one guy clapping at that.

Neighbour commented on the Ugandan politics, such as their laws against gays, and worries that he is being accepted in this circle.

'Africa is the origin of man and the cradle of civilisation. Until 100 000 years ago, all humans lived in Africa. So you are all either Africans, or descendents of Africans'

according to the President of Uganda Yoweri Musevini

Don't anyone tell UKIP voters that!

President Joyce Banda sent a video message

Tells of her issues after the birth of her fourth child, and how she decided to work to prevent this happening to others. She was saved as her husband is a high court judge and got medical treatment.

'I don't think it is right that a woman should die because of giving birth to another life, and I as a woman leader should not allow it to happen'

Listening to President of Rwanda

Melinda Gates announced additional 560m USD from the Gates Foundation, doubling their investment in Family Planning.

'I think you know htat BIll and I are great believers in innovation... we are convinced if you can take the energy on the innovators and use it on behalf of the planet.. you can do great things... I am excited that we are innovating on behalf of the women.. for me this is new.

there are so many basic assumptions that can shift / many African Health care centre say that they have FP stock if they have one type of contraceptives. Condoms.

Women centric contraceptives are necessary. Women need to travel long distances to get contraceptive.

Pfizer is testing a new form of injectable, which can be given by the health care worker in the village so that the women don't have to walk so far.

Money going into R&D for contraceptives for women. They have to be affordable..

now we can pool the purchasing of commodities to make them more accessible.

what we are doing is an enormous undertaking.

we are committed to educating women about their options

I'm optimistic because we are here to gether, I am optimistic because there are hundreds of millions of women who want to make their life better for them and their children. and if we listen to them, we cannot fail to succeed.

oooh, great question from the floor

How can we stop the Holy See in trying to influence Africa.

Blahblah answer from Cameron. Not quite sure he understood the question actually.

to objectors>

it is morally right to honour our commitment to the poorest of the world

every 6 mins a woman will die in pregnancy and childbirth

but it is not just the help that they receive, it is also UK who benefits

we are not talking aobut forced abortion, sterilisation

it those who are imposing their values on women who are interfering

and we shoudl stand up against those who want to deny women this

providing one year extra of education can make a 20% difference in pay

'the uk gmt is taking a whole new approach to development. it has to be driven by the people who need the change. our role is to give them building blocks .. the golden thread of successful development

curbing corruption
transparency
rule of law
free and fair elections

these building blocks of freedom and democracy cannot be laid down with the participation of women

enabling women to have a voice is a vital part of achieving sustainable development

;greater proportion of women in parliament = lower corruption

David Cameron speaking now. Am getting the transcript later.

Talking about girls at age 12 to 14 getting pregnant, who if they survive the pregnancy, have health issues, too many children and live in poverty.

Pic here

At last someone who is funny.

Norwegian Minister of Int Development said that he grew up sitting under the table as his mother talked about women's rights. He learned not to talk when grown up women are talking.

Rousing speech, talking about touching his heart, but not touching brains of the finance ministers.

3 out of 4 women in Norway work, and since the early 70s doubled pool of workers, many know that we are rich because of oil, but if we did not have the women, we would be missing an oil fund

if you do not have oil, your fortune lies in education partnership .. of women (didn't hear cause

listen to your heart and use your brain and let the women have the right to decide.

Got dragged away from my lunch (sandwiches and pasta salad, if you are interested) to a photo op with David Cameron and Melinda Gates.

They whooshed in, chatted to some youth counsellors and then whooshed out again. David did all the chatting actually, and Melinda just had to sit and watch. I was a bit disappointed as I would have liked to hear her chat with the young people.

Amazing how many people are around for these kind of things. How the other half lives.

I wasn't allowed to ask any questions. Even biscuit related ones.