Health care
A Welcome Fall in Maternal Deaths
New data on maternal mortality looks like encouraging news but is hardly cause for celebration.
"If men had been dying at this terrible rate, more would have happened at an earlier stage, because there is an indirect disregard for the troubles and suffering of women and girls."
Gro Harlem Brundtland
Women lose out badly on health care in many societies. Their lower status means the health needs of women and girls are ignored or put behind those of men.
Lack of access to basic health care makes giving birth a life- threatening procedure for millions of women in developing countries.
Religious and traditional taboos also stand in the way of improving women and girls' sexual and reproductive health.
Investing in women's health, education and the empowerment of girls is essential to creating healthy families and healthy societies.
Despite improvements in healthcare across many developing nations, women still suffer from health inequalities at every stage of life.
Lack of access to basic maternity services is responsible for 600,000 women's deaths every year during pregnancy or childbirth, the vast majority in developing countries.
Maternal death rates are particularly high among girls who have children in their teens. Complications from pregnancy are the leading cause of death among girls between 15 and 19 worldwide. More »