At the request of White Ribbon Alliance, in 2003, the Government of India declared April 11th, the anniversary of Kasturba Gandhi’s birth, as National Safe Motherhood Day. India is the first country in the world to have officially declared a National Safe Motherhood Day. White Ribbon Alliance West Bengal (WRAWB) celebrated the National Safe Motherhood Day throughout West Bengal.

Mr. Sujoy Roy, State Coordinator, WRA, WB, said that India has some of the best policies in the world for women and newborns. But who is telling women in their villages about their rights and entitlements? Who is ensuring that the promises made are being kept?

WRAWB is enthusiastic that our government can turn their excellent policies into reality, and that this is the way to really make birth safe for all women. The recent data reveals that West Bengal is among the top five performing states in the country and better performance across all indicators as compared to all India average. Infant Mortality Rate, Neo Natal mortality and under -5 mortality rate has also lowered in the recent past.

The midwife is recognized as a responsible and accountable professional who works in partnership with women to give the necessary support, care and advice during pregnancy, labour and the postpartum period, to conduct births on the midwife’s own responsibility and to provide care for the newborn and the infant.

Dr Basab Mukherjee, Secretary BOGS said this year’s theme “Midwives for Mothers” aims at enforcing the strong voice that all women should have access to care and no maternal death is acceptable. The event also focused to support marginalized women to demand and access to high-quality and dignified care, place women’s and girls’ self-articulated needs at the centre of health policies to make them sustainable.