Geri Halliwell challenged political leaders to �make your mothers proud� yesterday by helping to save millions of women from traumatic injuries and long-term disability as a result of pregnancy and childbirth.
Geri Halliwell challenged political leaders to "make your mothers proud" yesterday by helping to save millions of women from traumatic injuries and long-term disability as a result of pregnancy and childbirth.
Launching an appeal for more investment in the cause, the former Spice Girl and UN goodwill ambassador said quality healthcare and education should be available to all.
"This is not about charity," she said. "This is about our humanity. No matter who we are, whether African villager or posh politician, having a healthy, educated mother has a direct positive impact on our lives."
Halliwell spoke at the launch in the House of Commons of a new report highlighting the devastating injuries that affect 10-20 million women and girls a year. According to the report, entitled Better Off Dead, many of those women are abandoned by their husbands and family, socially excluded and left unable to work.
Multiple pregnancies, early marriage and female genital mutilation put women at greater risk of long-term physical, psychological, social and economic damage.
But the report said some of the worst problems - obstetric fistula, prolapsed uterus, infertility and depression - were easily preventable and at a very low cost.
Halliwell made a direct appeal to the G8 leaders to achive the group's millennium development goal of improving maternal health. She said: "I imagine you all got into politics to make a difference and improve the world we live in and just maybe make your mothers proud."
The pop star, who has a two-year-old daughter Bluebell, was joined at the event by guests including the Prime Minister's wife Sarah Brown.
Halliwell praised those politicians who had the "open-mindedness and courage to realise the benefits of supporting mothers throughout the world" and said everyone had the power to make a difference.
