"Aakhir Kyon", a song specially written by noted lyricist Alok Srivastav and composed and sung by Shubha Mudgal for the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood, India (WRAI) at a concert here late Monday evening. "Birth is life - how can this be allowed to be the cause of death? Especially when most of such deaths are so easily preventable," says Mudgal.
"We, you, me and the man on the street simply must join together to ensure that there are no maternal deaths. We must find the answer to this question: `Aakhir kyon?`" says the singer who has explored Indian pop music in the 1990s. Her albums "Ali More Angana", "Ab ke Sawan", "Pyaar Ke Geet" and "Mann Ke Manjeere" had been popular.
Statistics estimate over half a million women across world dying during pregnancy, delivery or after childbirth. India contributes to approximately 20 per cent of global maternal deaths with one woman dying every 8 minutes of pregnancy related causes. Yearly there about 60,000 maternal deaths.
"It is unacceptable that we are letting women in their prime die-every minute-every day, every week, throughout the year. We believe that every one of us here can take action, in the course of our daily life like talking to friends about this injustice or championing issues that directly impact women`s health- their life and death," says Aparajita Gogoi, National Coordinator, WRAI.
The WRAI, a voluntary coalition has been in operation in India since 1999 and works towards preventing maternal deaths and promoting safe motherhood. The concert event was supported by UK AID, MacArthur Foundation and India Habitat Centre.