Every minute of every day a woman dies in pregnancy. That's half a million women dying each year; over 80% of these deaths are avoidable. This is inexcusable and it has to stop now. You can help do this.

We write to you, our leaders, on behalf of all women – please do what you can to put this issue at the top of the political agenda.

These shameful statistics have remained unchanged for 20 years. At this year's G8 and the UN Secretary General's MDG Summit, we insist on a breakthrough. Please, do what you can to help make it happen.

On behalf of us all.
With urgent best wishes,

Gwyneth Paltrow Actress USA	Wendi Murdoch Chief Strategist, Myspace CHINA	Yoko Ono Artist, Peace Activist JAPAN	Elizabeth Edwards Attorney, Campaigner USA	Christine Ockrent Journalist, COO FRANCE
Emma Thompson Actress UK	Leona Lewis Singer, Songwriter UK	Christiane Amanpour CNN Chief International Correspondent USA	Claudia Schiffer UNICEF Ambassador, Supermodel GERMANY	Dame Judi Dench Actress UK
Margherita Hack Scientist ITALY	Annie Lennox Singer, Songwriter UK	Mary Robinson Pres, Realising Rights, Former President IRELAND	Claudie Haigneré Astronaut and Advisor to ESA FRANCE	Mary Murdoch Chairman, CEO, Shine Group UK/USA
Christy Turlington CARE Ambassador, Supermodel USA	Angelique Musician USA	Donna Langley President of Production, Universal Pictures USA	Kirsty Young Broadcaster UK	Lady Lynn Forester de Rothschild Pres & CEO, E.L. Rothschild Ltd UK
Misia Singer JAPAN	Sarah Polley Actress, Writer, Director CANADA	Liya Kebede Actress, Model, WHO Goodwill Ambassador ETHIOPIA	Katja Riemann Actress GERMANY	Fiorella Mannoia Singer, Songwriter ITALY
Sarah McLachlan Musician CANADA	Jamelia Musician UK	Ali Hewson Fashion Entrepreneur IRELAND	Gail Rebuck Chairman and Chief Executive, Random House Group UK	Naomi Campbell Model UK
Anji Hunter UNITED KINGDOM	Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Managing Director, World Bank	Anna Chancellor Actress and Author	Obiageli Ezekwesili Vice President for the Africa Region - The World Bank Group	Bience Gawanas Commissioner of Social Affairs for the African Union
Kim Samuel-Johnson President, The Samuel Family Foundation

Please join these inspirational women and sign the Advert below. Your name will be added to the thousands of women around the world who are uniting to say to leaders, 'enough is enough.' We can no longer ignore the needless deaths of millions of mothers and their newborns. Together we can change this; we can all play our part.