During the upcoming UN Summit on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon will announce a new plan for improving the health of women and children in developing countries, he told reporters here Monday.

Ban will launch a new Global Strategy for Women's and Children' s Health on Sept. 22 at a special event featuring leaders from both private and public sectors. Ban said that the UN has chosen to focus on women's and children's health because it is important to "put our resources where they will have the greatest impact.

He said such a focus on this area will help world achieve the rest of the MDGs, a set of eight global development goals set by the international community with a 2015 deadline.

"No area has more potential to set off a ripple effect -- a virtuous cycle -- across the goals than women's health and empowerment," Ban said.

The UN estimates that the new plan could save 16 million lives by 2015.

The MDG summit, an opportunity for stakeholders to meet and discuss progress towards the MDGs and how to accelerate it, will run from Sept. 20 to Sept. 22.

"Next week's summit is meant to propel us forward for the next five years," Ban said. "I have been very encouraged by strong support for this event," Ban added.