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

[MmeLindor.]

I have recently returned from Kenya, where I was blogging about reproductive rights and the issues millions of women have in accessing family planning.

The Gates Foundation has an ambitious of ensuring that an additional 120m women around the world have access to contraceptives.

Currently the lack of contraception in the developing world means that women are having more babies than they would like, and with small age gaps.

The consequences are many. High maternal mortality, high infant mortality, an appallingly high number or unsafe abortions, particularly in countries where abortion is illegal or difficult to access. Girls don't finish school because they get pregnant so are unable to help lift their families out of poverty.

The UK and the Gates Foundation are hosting a summit this month to raise awareness and funds to fight this issue.

I will, along with many other bloggers who were on the trip, be blogging live from London.

If you have any questions, post them here and I'll try to get answers for you.

You can see what I've been doing in Kenya on the blog: www.saltandcaramel.com

oh, thanks Messy.

Good quote from Save the Children dude: "Family planning saves children's lives, it saves teenage girls' lives, and it saves women's lives".

Thanks for the liveblog, Mme - can only flick to and fro as at work but will catch up by reading this :)

Thanks for the translations.

The Senegalese MoH Dr Coll-Seck is talking, this time in English.

'today we share a common vision across the globe / to allow every couple access to contraception

we commit to make FP a top priority, by making information, supplies and services available to all women, especially the poor and the vulnerable

we recognise that FP is important to lower our child and maternal mortality rates

we know that the journey is long and hard for Senegal.

we will not accept the status quo any more, that is why we are here today to accept the challenge and ambition

we have set ambitious goals, and we will fight to achieve them

we have committed to working in partnership with you all

we are working to make FP socially acceptable

Am in a separate room speaking to youth counsellors about FP. You can still follow live stream and twitter feed on the main summit.

ok, back in the room!

Had a chat with some youth mentors about their work in Bangladesh, Kenya and Ethiopia. Will write it up later.

Currently listening to Donor Commitments with US, Netherlands, EU, Germany, Australia, Japan, Korea, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies

Talked about the issue with very young girls and asked if the youth counselling included talking about when young people do not give consent, and are being abused.

A lot is being said about giving access to FP but we do have to talk about the 12yo girls getting pregnant, and if they should be even having sex, if they are giving consent...

IPPF have recently implemented a child protection programme, where they can talk to those who may be suffering abuse. Will try to collar someone from IPPF later to find out more about this

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.

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.

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.

'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

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

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

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.

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.

Listening to President of Rwanda

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'

'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!

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.

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

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 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

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

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.

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.

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'