The annual meeting of the Group of 8 (G8) ministers for development affairs officially opened here Tuesday with a commitment to address some of the world's most urgent priorities, including Canada's G8 initiative to improve maternal and child welfare in developing countries, Xinhua reported.
Canada's Minister for International Cooperation Beverley J. Oda stressed in the opening remarks the urgency to improve food security, accountability, aid effectiveness, and maternal and child health in particular.
"We have the means and the tools to make a difference for vulnerable mothers, newborns and young children in developing countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, where most of their deaths occur," said Oda, flanked by her ministerial colleagues.
"As progress is lagging in meeting this urgent need, now is the time to target our efforts and act," she said, adding that effective and cost efficient methods exist to maximize efforts to save millions of lives in poor countries
She pointed out that another priority for Canada will be to update the G8 countries' collective work on food security commitments as well as to ensure that their international aid efforts are effective and accountable.
Canada currently holds the G8 presidency. As part of its objectives, Canada is championing an initiative to improve maternal and child healthcare in poor countries and has made it the centerpiece of its action plan.
This involves a wide range of interventions across the continuum of care, including training and support for frontline health workers, better nutrition and provision of micronutrients, proper medication, family planning, immunization, clean water, sanitation and others.
"I hope that my G8 colleagues will follow Canada's leadership in recognizing the importance of nutrition in both our food security strategy and in our efforts for healthier mothers and infants," she added.
The outcomes of this meeting, which is also attended by ministers for development from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, Britain, the United States, as well as representatives of the European Union, will provide G8 leaders with advice and guidance as a basis for further discussions at their summit in Muskoka, Canada, at the end of June.
Within the scope of this G8 initiative, countries will be able to identify their own priorities. Canada's contribution to maternal and child health may involve various interventions, including family planning, which includes the use of contraceptive methods.
However, Oda has come under sharp criticism, locally and internationally, for saying Canada will not support funding for abortion as part of this initiative.
Withholding support for abortion could place Canada at odds with other members of the G8, especially the United States. Last month, at a meeting of G8 foreign ministers in Canada, U.S Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said any initiative to improve maternal health must include safe and legal abortion.
Aid agencies active on health matters in developing countries fear Canada's stance on abortion may delay an agreement on maternal and child health here at the meeting in Halifax.
But at a media briefing late Tuesday, Oda downplayed any possibility of a split among the G8 members on the issue, although she reaffirmed that Canada won't change its position on abortion.
In a joint statement, a coalition of presidents and chief executive officers from agencies such as World Vision, UNICEF, RESULTS, CARE, Plan and Save The Children urged the G8 not to let differences stand in the way of improving maternal and child health in poor countries.
The agencies say a delay on an agreement will result in the deaths of over 300,000 mothers and 8.8 million children.
On the sideline of the meeting, a small group of pro-abortion women belonging to a feminist organization demonstrated against Canada's stance on abortion at Halifax city hall.
The women, dressed in black, lay on the ground to symbolize the danger women face when they seek illegal abortions.
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