MDGs 4 and 5 aim to reduce child mortality and improve maternal health, respectively28 January 2013, Dubai – Ministers of health and high-level representatives from 22 countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region will meet in Dubai from 29 to 30 January to agree on approaches to reduce maternal and child mortality and accelerate progress towards achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5 in the Region – global goals set by world leaders to improve maternal and child health.

In 2010, the Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health was developed under the auspices of the United Nations General-Secretary, Ban Ki-moon, and set out ways of working to save the lives of women and children. The strategy aims to accelerate progress on the health-related MDGs, particularly MDGs 4 and 5, in which progress has been slowest.

Background documents