In Africa women run a 1 in 16 risk of dying from
pregnancy and childbirth
Every minute of every day, a woman dies of pregnancy-related
complications. Making a total of nearly 600,000 women each year.
While an estimated 40% of the 2 million infant deaths every year
are as a result of poor care during pregnancy and delivery. The
vast majority of maternal and newborn deaths occur in developing
countries. Most of these deaths can be prevented.
HLSP is committed to supporting global efforts to reduce maternal
and newborn deaths. We work with a number of development partners
to strengthen health systems and to ensure equitable access to
essential services by women and their newborn babies, especially
the poorest and most vulnerable.
The White Ribbon Alliance
Catharine Taylor, HLSP’s Lead Specialist in Maternal Health has
recently become a board member of the international non-profit
organisation the
White Ribbon Alliance
for Safe Motherhood› (WRA). WRA is an international coalition of
individuals and organisations formed to increase public awareness
of the need to make pregnancy and childbirth safe for all women and
newborns in developing, as well as, developed countries. The white
ribbon is dedicated to the memory of all women who have died in
pregnancy and childbirth.
WRA currently has members active in 72 countries and has national
secretariats in 12 countries. Members are adapting the global
actions and messages of the WRA to fit their own settings and
developing new methods and techniques to raise awareness and
promote safe motherhood within their own families, communities,
governments, and countries. For example, in India the WRA is
working with the government to promote the extended role of the
nurse/midwife to increase access to life saving care for women.
