Chair

The Honorable Mary Robinson
Former President Ireland;
President, Mary Robinson Foundation - Climate Justice
"Assuring universal access to reproductive health services for all women is a fundamental human right. We have to create a world where women, children and girls have access to the education, services and supplies they need to grow healthy and strong."

Members

Her Excellency Joyce Banda
President, Malawi
"For me, as a mother, as a victim of maternal health complication, and more importantly as a woman leader in a position of influence and power, it is my moral obligation to do all that I can to contribute to improvement in reproductive health...I will not rest until the job is done, even one woman dying in child birth is too much for me."

Vice Admiral Regina Benjamin
Surgeon General of the United States

The Honorable Gro Harlem Brundtland
Former Prime Minister, Norway
"It is a moral obligation to care and to share- across borders, across generations. We have the knowledge and the combined resources to eradicate most challenges to mother and child. By what means of argument can we defend not doing so?"

The Honorable Fernando Henrique Cardoso
Former President, Brazil
"Women's reproductive rights are core human rights. In all societies and culture women are care givers and peace makers. There can be no democracy or development without full women's participation. To fight against all forms of discrimination against women is to build safer, healthier, more equitable and sustainable communities."

The Right Honorable Helen Clark
UNDP Administrator and Chair of the UN Development Group;
Former Prime Minister of New Zealand
"Improving women's sexual and reproductive health is an essential part of advancing gender equality and the broader human development agenda. Achieving universal access to reproductive health services is also envisaged in the Millennium Development Goals, and reaching that would help nations and communities also reach other MDGs."

The Honorable Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ethiopia

The Honorable Tarja Halonen
Former President, Finland
"Gender Equality - improving the position of women and girls- is a prerequisite to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and sustainable development. Education and improving maternal health care are also practical means of reducing poverty."

The Honorable Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
President, Liberia
"Now is the time to step up our efforts... to address the issue of women's health, gender, and human rights, in order to achieve a rapid and tangible impact in Africa... and prevent the personal tragedies of children having to grow up without their mothers, of families who live with the pain of needlessly losing a sister, or a cousin, or a daughter."

Dr. Musimbi Kanyoro
President and CEO, Global Fund for Women

Annie Lennox
Singer-Songwriter, Humanitarian and Founder of the SING Campaign

Ms. Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka
Former Deputy President, South Africa
"The cultural and religious taboos surrounding reproductive rights limits the degree to which we empower young people through information. We can do more with greater access to technology for young people all over the world."

The Honorable María Otero (Ex Officio)
Office of the Under Secretary for Civilian Security,
Democracy, and Human Rights
“Reproductive health impacts every measure of progress in our effort to create a better world, from the women who bear the burden of environmental and community stress to the children who represent the next generation.”

The Honorable Joy Phumaphi
Former Minister of Health, Botswana;
Former Vice President of Human Development, The World Bank
"Poor women endure a disproportionate burden of poor sexual and reproductive health, poor nutrition and life threatening childbirth. Their full and equal participation in development depends directly on accessing these essential services, improved education outcomes for girls, and equal opportunities for women in society."

Dr. Fred Sai
Former President, International Planned Parenthood Federation;
"To me, the success of African leadership in the decade should be judged first and foremost by the progress made in the lives of our women and girls."

The Right Honorable Dame Jenny Shipley
Former Prime Minister, New Zealand;
Vice President of the Club of Madrid
"The serious problems facing the world today will never be solved until women are able to use their full potential on behalf of themselves, their families, and their global and local communities."

Ted Turner
Founder and Chairman, United Nations Foundation

The Honorable Vaira Vike-Freiberga
Former President, Latvia
"There can be no better investment into the future of the human race than a firm commitment to advancing reproductive health. Only then will we be able to fully achieve the Millennium Development Goals and reduce poverty.”