UN chief: 800 women die needlessly every day in pregnancy and childbirth

Around 800 women die "needlessly" across the world every day in pregnancy and childbirth, with the vast majority in developing countries, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday.

Guterres disclosed the figure in his message on World Population Day, which is observed annually on July 11.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action, and "it must also be the year we resolve to accelerate efforts and investments to turn its promises into a reality," said the UN chief.

Highlighting progress made in the decades since the program was adopted, Guterres said more women than ever have access to modern contraception, and maternal deaths have fallen 34 percent since 2000. "The women's movements and civil society have been critical to driving change," he stressed.

But progress has been "unequal and unsteady," Guterres warned, adding that "it is outrageous that well into the 21st century, around 800 women die needlessly every day in pregnancy and childbirth, the vast majority in developing countries."

And in some places, legislative advances in tackling vital issues such as female genital mutilation risk going into reverse, he said.

As the theme of this year's World Population Day "Leave no one behind, count everyone" reminds us, investing in data collection is important to understanding problems, tailoring solutions, and driving progress, and so is finance, Guterres noted, urging countries to make the most of the Summit of the Future this year to unleash affordable capital for sustainable development.

"Let's deliver on the ICPD Program of Action for everyone, everywhere," he concluded.