This is Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English DevelopmentReport.

The United Nations says that developing nations have made greatimprovements in reproductive health and women's rights. But it saysthat rich counties have given only half of the six thousand milliondollars they promised for these goals ten years ago.

The head of the U-N Population Fund made the announcement lastweek in London, England. Thoraya Ahmed Obaid spoke at a conferenceof non-governmental organizations. The meetings examined progress toimprove reproductive health around the world by two thousandfifteen.

The meetings observed the tenth anniversary of the InternationalConference on Population and Development in Cairo, Egypt. At thattime, one hundred seventy-nine countries agreed to a U-N plan ofaction to improve women's health, education and rights.

Mizz Obaid says a new study by the U-N Population Fund shows thattwenty-three countries have made the most progress toward improvingthe reproductive health of women. They include Zambia, Bangladesh,Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru, Nepal and the Philippines. But, MizzObaid says there has been little progress toward reaching othergoals set ten years ago. The number of women who die duringpregnancy and childbirth remains high. In addition, the spread ofAIDS and the H-I-V virus is now affecting more women and childrenthan ever before.

The report studied one hundred thirty-three countries withpopulations over one million. Researchers examined national rates ofdeath among mothers and babies, number of children, nationalpolicies to end pregnancies, and the average number of children withH-I-V or AIDS infections. Portugal, Kuwait, the United States,Botswana, Namibia, Senegal and South Africa are among the countriesthat made little or no progress.

Mizz Obaid identified three important areas for reaching thegoals by two thousand fifteen. They are better health for mothers,efforts to fight H-I-V/AIDS and devices to prevent pregnancy and thespread of sexual diseases. Mizz Obaid says the amount of money thatrich nations give to pay for such contraceptives has dropped by morethan thirty percent. But, she says the need for contraceptives indeveloping nations will increase forty percent by two thousandfifteen.

This VOA Special English Development Report was written by JillMoss. This is Gwen Outen.