Aspen Global Health and Development

Council Meeting: 2011

On September 19, 2011, the Council members hosted a reception to share their personal stories and call on fellow leaders to support greater reproductive health investments. Recognizing that this reception is occurring during the 66th U.N. General Assembly meeting, the Council prepared a letter for each United Nations member state calling on each government for the political resolve to realize the promise of universal access to reproductive health. As the Council says, "Investing in reproductive health is the right thing to do and the smart thing to do. Reproductive health is an essential investment in the world we envision – a world with healthy families and communities, stable societies, and abundant natural resources." To read more on the centrality of reproductive health to development overall, see the Council's brief, "What's Good for Women is Good for the Planet."

In addition to the Council members themselves, the event featured opening remarks from Nicky Combs, The Rubin Museum’s Head of Individual Giving & Major Gifts, and remarks from Dr. Flavia Bustreo, Assistant Director-General for Family, Women's and Children's Health, WHO, and Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of UNFPA. Check back to view video footage of these remarks and the Ccouncil members' personal stories, as moderated by ABC's Juju Chang.

To read more of the Council members speaking to the centrality of reproductive health, check out our databank of members' speeches, articles and posts at In Their Own Words. View the press release for the event, as well as the media advisory and bios of the Council members.

Read media coverage related to the event:

• Family Planning and Seven Billion: What happens when we hit more than seven billion people? By John Donnelly, September 8, 2011, in The Global Post
• A Tale of Sanitation: What Somalia Teaches Us by Ambassador Jan Eliasson, September 12, 2011, in The Huffington Post

• UN Called on to Fulfill Family Planning Promises by Joe DeCapua, September 19, 2011 in Voice of America

• More funds for family planning by Honorable Mary Robinson, September 20, 2011 in Newsday

• Reproductive health’s connection to global problems: Are reproductive health issues only a women's issue? by John Donnelly, September 21, 2011 in The Global Post
• Family planning help for women in Asia and Africa by Dr. Fred Sai, September 22, 2011 in The Financial Times
• Global Leaders Council for Reproductive Health Event Takeaways by Rachel Cernansky, September 26, 2011 in Dowser

Follow the Council activity and updates on Twitter at @GLCRHresolve, and join the conversation using #whywecare.

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