'Women Deliver': a global conference with the theme 'invest in women--it pays!': Elizabeth Duff, ICM Communications Manager, reports on the ICM participation at this groundbreaking conference held in London, UK, in October 2007.

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'During three days in October, we changed the world' was one of the conclusions from the organisers of Woman Deliver, a conference that brought together almost 2,000 participants from 109 countries to 'create the energy, the commitment, and the knowledge to fundamentally shift how women's health and women's contributions are viewed in the global agenda'.

The closing statement at the end of the three days was given by Ann Starrs, Director of Family Care International, and she continued:

'There is a great deal that needs to change, and no way to describe or even list it all within the time we have this afternoon. But there are three main themes that we have heard, in the plenaries and breakout sessions and hallways:

'First, we must recognize, build and strengthen synergies between health and other sectors that are critical to women's survival and well-being, their equality and their leadership--education, economic empowerment, and rights being the core ones.

'Second, within health, we now have a clear consensus on the three pillars for saving the lives of women and newborns: comprehensive reproductive health services; skilled care during and immediately after pregnancy and childbirth; and emergency care when life-threatening complications develop. Every government and every donor needs to prioritize and support these three pillars, within the context of global commitments to strengthening health systems, involving communities, and prioritizing the needs of the poor and marginalized.

"Third, significant new resources are needed for this to happen. For these resources to be mobilized, allocated, and used effectively, we need political will, especially among governments and donors; and we need accountability, led by and driven by civil society'