--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It keeps startling me that at the…" description: "\"It keeps startling me that at the beginning of this 21st century, at a time when we can . . . explore the depths of the seas and build an international..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b7/thoraya-obaid-57599_21st-century_it-keeps-startling-me-that-at-the-beginn_3020098.jpg" --- # It keeps startling me that at the beginning of this 21st… ![“It keeps startling me that at the beginning of this 21st century, at a time when we can . . . explore the depths of the seas and build an international space station, we have not been able to make childbirth safe for all women around the world. ... This is one of the greatest social causes of our…” quote by Thoraya Obaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b7/thoraya-obaid-57599_21st-century_it-keeps-startling-me-that-at-the-beginn_3020098.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b7/thoraya-obaid-57599_21st-century_it-keeps-startling-me-that-at-the-beginn_3020098.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b7/thoraya-obaid-57599_21st-century_it-keeps-startling-me-that-at-the-beginn_3020098.jpg) > “It keeps startling me that at the beginning of this 21st century, at a time when we can . . . explore the depths of the seas and build an international space station, we have not been able to make childbirth safe for all women around the world. ... This is one of the greatest social causes of our time.” [Thoraya Obaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thoraya-obaid/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker highlights the paradox of advanced technology coexisting with unsafe childbirth, calling it a major social issue. **In simple terms:** Modern progress hasn't solved maternal health. Key Takeaway Prioritize safe childbirth worldwide. Themes health technology gender equality Mood urgent compassionate Type activist inspirational When to use this quote - policy making - healthcare delivery - education - advocacy Key Concepts public health global development Questions to Reflect On - What barriers prevent safe childbirth? - How can societies mobilize resources? A Different Perspective Complex solutions needed beyond technology. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Around the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-world/) [Childbirth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childbirth/) [Depth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depth/) [International space station](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/international-space-station/) [Sea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sea/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I want to make the work space more dignified and safe for women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/i-want-to-make-the-work-space-more-dignified-and-safe-for-women/) [Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/) > [I look at history, there's not a government on the planet I respect. No country in history was ever safe to its women; internet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patch-adams/i-look-at-history-there-s-not-a-government-on-the-planet-i-respect-no/) [Patch Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patch-adams/) > [Respect is very important in a workplace for every woman, man, and child. We have to make our industry safe for women, men, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pooja-bhatt/respect-is-very-important-in-a-workplace-for-every-woman-man-and/) [Pooja Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pooja-bhatt/) > [Yes, India is intolerant towards women, at least when it comes to their safety issues. When I was shooting in Jharkhand, I was constantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalki-koechlin/yes-india-is-intolerant-towards-women-at-least-when-it-comes-to-their/) [Kalki Koechlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalki-koechlin/) > [Women face unique challenges in society, no doubt. 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The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bentall/there-are-many-kinds-of-adult-adversities-that-can-provoke-severe/) [Richard Bentall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bentall/) > [“For many nurses, especially those raised and educated in the Quaker faith, serving in the China Convoy epitomized the ideal nursing practice “tied to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-armstrong-reid/for-many-nurses-especially-those-raised-and-educated-in-the-quaker/) [Susan Armstrong-Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-armstrong-reid/) > [Lost in the barrage of images and self-serving analysis are the economic and social causes of the conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-chossudovsky/lost-in-the-barrage-of-images-and-self-serving-analysis-are-the/) [Michel Chossudovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-chossudovsky/) > [The best way for business to move out of the Hall of Shame is to demonstrate a commitment to social causes. This also makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosabeth-moss-kanter/the-best-way-for-business-to-move-out-of-the-hall-of-shame-is-to/) [Rosabeth Moss Kanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosabeth-moss-kanter/) ## More by Thoraya Obaid > [The challenge for UNFPA is to help countries as we always have with no agenda of our own; with sensitivity towards unique cultural values;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thoraya-obaid/the-challenge-for-unfpa-is-to-help-countries-as-we-always-have-with/) [Thoraya Obaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thoraya-obaid/) > [We also know that the various faith-based institutions provide about 50 per cent of the health and education services in the poor communities; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thoraya-obaid/we-also-know-that-the-various-faith-based-institutions-provide-about/) [Thoraya Obaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thoraya-obaid/) > [We are reviewing our experience to enable us to respond to the cultural challenge: to help countries, communities and individuals interpret universal principles, translate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thoraya-obaid/we-are-reviewing-our-experience-to-enable-us-to-respond-to-the/) [Thoraya Obaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thoraya-obaid/) > [ If world leaders decide to \[meet the Millennium Development Goals\], I think it can be done by 2015...The question is, is there a political… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thoraya-obaid/if-world-leaders-decide-to-meet-the-millennium-development-goals-i/) [Thoraya Obaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thoraya-obaid/) > [We cannot confront the massive challenges of poverty, hunger, disease and environmental destruction unless we address issues of population and reproductive health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thoraya-obaid/we-cannot-confront-the-massive-challenges-of-poverty-hunger-disease/) [Thoraya Obaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thoraya-obaid/) [Explore all 6 Thoraya Obaid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thoraya-obaid/) ## More 21st century quotes > [The young people today are the 21st century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/the-young-people-today-are-the-21st-century/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [“You know it’s the 21st Century when someone TEXTS you from the washroom to ask you to bring them a roll of toilet paper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/comic-strip-mama/you-know-it-s-the-21st-century-when-someone-texts-you-from-the/) Comic Strip Mama > [“I am made of a thousand ghosts. Only you can shoot me down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-james/i-am-made-of-a-thousand-ghosts-only-you-can-shoot-me-down/) Bella James > [Like many others, I have deep misgivings about the state of education in the United States. Too many of our students fail to graduate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/like-many-others-i-have-deep-misgivings-about-the-state-of-education/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Undeniably, character does count for our citizens, out communities, and our Nation, and this week we celebrate the importance of character in our individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/undeniably-character-does-count-for-our-citizens-out-communities-and/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [The hope of Internet anarchists was that repressive governments would have only two options: accept the Internet with its limitless possibilities of spreading information,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/the-hope-of-internet-anarchists-was-that-repressive-governments-would/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Maybe we need a tax credit for the poorest Americans to buy a laptop. Now, maybe that's wrong, maybe that's expensive, maybe we can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/maybe-we-need-a-tax-credit-for-the-poorest-americans-to-buy-a-laptop/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [The 20th century has been marked by cynicism, selfishness, greed, and the desire to please, all without changing the status quo. In the 21st…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/the-20th-century-has-been-marked-by-cynicism-selfishness-greed-and/) [Óscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) > [I firmly believe that the mission of religion in the 21st century must be to contribute concretely to the peaceful coexistence of humankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/i-firmly-believe-that-the-mission-of-religion-in-the-21st-century/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [Facebook, Twitter...Welcome to The 21st Century...Where Someone can stalk you without leaving the couch!..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/facebook-twitter-welcome-to-the-21st-century-where-someone-can-stalk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Human Race is all over universe! And I am the first person to inform you. I am the most influential person of this decade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwani-kumar-ojha/human-race-is-all-over-universe-and-i-am-the-first-person-to-inform/) [Ashwani Kumar Ojha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwani-kumar-ojha/) > [Like the railroads that brought us together in the 19th century, these trails will bring us together in the 20th and 21st centuries. (at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/like-the-railroads-that-brought-us-together-in-the-19th-century-these/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [What I love about making albums in the 21st century is that so few people buy albums! I can make an album without any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/what-i-love-about-making-albums-in-the-21st-century-is-that-so-few/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [As a former Apollo astronaut, I think it's safe to say that SpaceX and the other commercial developers embody the 21st century version of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rusty-schweickart/as-a-former-apollo-astronaut-i-think-it-s-safe-to-say-that-spacex-and/) [Rusty Schweickart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rusty-schweickart/) > [The computer provides the only way to give students a real foundation in 21st-century skills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-negroponte/the-computer-provides-the-only-way-to-give-students-a-real-foundation/) [Nicholas Negroponte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-negroponte/) Browse all 771 21st century quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It keeps startling me that at the beginning of this 21st century, at a time when we can . . . explore the depths of the seas and build an international space station, we have not been able to make childbirth safe for all women around the world. ... 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