United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is set to unveil a $40 billion initiative aimed at improving the health of women and children around the world.
Mr. Ban is to announce the effort Wednesday, the final day of a U.N. summit of world leaders to assess the progress of the world body's anti-poverty Millennium Development Goals.
The United Nations said spending money on the health of women and children helps to reduce poverty and stimulate economic growth.
U.N. officials say governments and private aid organizations have committed to provide the $40 billion for the new push. The international aid organization Oxfam, however, voiced skepticism about whether national governments, who have cut their budgets to cope with a global economic crisis, actually will set aside money for the cause.
Leaders and top diplomats from 140 countries are attending the three-day Millennium Development Goals summit in New York.
U.S. President Barack Obama is due to address the forum Wednesday.
The meeting comes ahead of the general debate of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly, beginning Thursday.
VOA News
