As Nicolas Sarkozy gave a press conference, his wife joined forces with Sarah Brown, the Prime Minister's wife, to call for women to unite behind a campaign to ensure that male-dominated world leaders tackle the problem of women dying needlessly in childbirth.

They both addressed a lunch of 150 high-profile women at London's Lancaster House in support of the White Ribbon Alliance charity, which campaigns on maternal mortality. Ms Brown, a patron of the group, urged the guests to fight "the shameful silence" on the issue to ensure that a UN conference in September does not abandon a goal set in 2000 to cut maternal mortality by 75 per cent by 2015.

Speaking in good English, Mme Bruni-Sarkozy said: "One of the great tragedies of our time takes place in the shadows, particularly in developing countries when the most intense and wonderful moment of their lives – labour – might result in tragedy."

Source: Independent (UK), 28 March 2008