Human rights activists have staged a "die-in" to highlight the number of women who die in childbirth around the world.

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Around 100 supporters of Amnesty International gathered outside Liverpool Street Station in London and about 60 "died" at the rate of one a minute during the hour-long protest.

A spokeswoman said: "Global figures show that approximately one woman dies every minute because of preventable causes related to pregnancy."

She continued: "Women in sub-Saharan African and south Asian countries are most at risk, and very little progress to reduce the number of deaths has been made in the past decade.

"Today in 2010, the global commitment made through the UN Millennium Development Goals to reduce the rate of women dying in childbirth remains the most far off target."

The organisation's UK director, Kate Allen, said: "The current situation is unacceptable. Pregnant women should not be denied their basic rights to healthcare.

"There needs to be a greater political will both in the UK and globally to put an end to this scandal.

"At Amnesty we are asking members of the public to sign a Mother's Day card to each of the three main political leaders in the UK calling on them to act now."

The spokeswoman said 250 signatures were obtained during the event.

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http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20100306/thl-amnesty-supporters-stage-die-in-d831572.html