The Royal Society of Canada, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and other scientific research organizations from around the world released a statement (.pdf) on Tuesday with recommendations for G8 countries on how to improve the health of women and children worldwide, the Toronto Star reports.  

“The statement … was issued following extensive consultation and research among the institutes from all G8 countries, and makes several recommendations, including a call on G8 countries to increase funding for maternal and child health services so that there are no user fees for access to basic health services critical to women and newborns such as delivery care, and so that access to vaccinations is ‘universal,'” the newspaper writes.

In addition to recommendations for increased funding for maternal and child health services and health system strengthening efforts, the statement recommends the endorsement of strategies that reduce unsafe abortions and promote modern contraceptive use, sex education and “appropriate child spacing,” the Toronto Star reports. It states: “Greater access to family planning would reduce population growth and impact favorably on resource availability. Accessible family planning services should be integrated with HIV/AIDS prevention services.”

The organizations “call for better coordination of international efforts, more efforts to help skilled health professionals remain in their native countries and not be lured away to the developed world, as well as for policies to protect women and children from ‘all forms of abuse, injury, exploitation and violence,'” according to the newspaper (5/25).