Jess Chambers

A fabulous line-up of New Zealand female musicians will take part in 'Safe and Sound', a concert in support of maternal health in the Pacific at the San Francisco Bathhouse, Wellington, on 22nd October 2009. Organised by Family Planning International, the concert will include sets from Jess Chambers, Lisa Tomlins, Iva Lamkum, Bella Kalolo, Tessa Rain and DJ Ayesha.

The aim of the concert is to increase New Zealand's support for maternal health in the Pacific, whilst at the same time providing a night of quality homegrown entertainment.

5 women die everyday in the Pacific during pregnancy or childbirth. That's 1825 women annually. At the global level, every minute another woman dies needlessly during pregnancy and childbirth.

``These maternal deaths are overwhelmingly preventable tragedies. New Zealand must invest more in maternal and overall sexual and reproductive health in order to help prevent such tragic deaths of Pacific women'', says Joanna Spratt, Director of International Development at Family Planning International.

Many women in the Pacific do not get the information and services they need for good maternal health, including family planning, skilled birth attendants, safe and clean supplies and facilities, as well as emergency care if required. There are frequent reports of pregnant women in several Pacific countries being transported for hours or even days in the arms of their relatives or in open canoes in order to reach health services. If they do make it safely, they then face the risk of maternal death due to a lack of appropriate quality services.

``This concert has brought New Zealand female musicians together around a really worthwhile cause. I'm convinced that New Zealand must do everything we can to support maternal health in our own backyard'', says Lisa Tomlins who will be playing a set at Safe and Sound.

Papua New Guinea (PNG), the Solomon Islands, Kiribati and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) report the highest rates of maternal deaths in the Pacific region. The sub-region of Melanesia has the worst reported rates of maternal deaths in the Pacific.