Yesterday, UNICEF released its new State of the World’s Children report which calls for the big gap in maternal and child death rates between the developing world and industrialized countries to be addressed more aggressively. The report examines maternal mortality in developing countries and reports that too many women and children are dying of causes that could be prevented or easily treated.

In the world’s least developed countries, having a baby is among the most serious health risks for women. Every day, 1,500 women die from complications of pregnancy or childbirth – mostly in Africa and South Asia. And the younger the mother, the higher the risk: girls who have children before they turn 15 are five times more likely to die in childbirth than women in their 20’s. While the child mortality rate in developing countries has decreased by 27% since 1995, a child born in a developing country is still 14 times more likely to die during the first month of life than a child born in a developed country. Most of these deaths are preventable. UNICEF’s Executive Director Ann Veneman states: “Progress has been made in reducing child mortality, but much more must be done especially in addressing maternal and newborn health.” Proven, cost-effective interventions exist which can save mothers’ lives and consequently, improve the chances that their children will survive too.

The barriers to bringing these interventions to the women and girls most in need are significant, but not insurmountable. The report cites weak health systems and a shortage of trained health workers as two of the biggest obstacles to reducing maternal mortality rates (and address other key health issues) in Asia and Africa. The health worker shortage is felt most acutely in Africa, which has 24% of the global disease burden but only 3% of the global health workforce. In countries where fertility rates are high and where women are not empowered to make decisions about their healthcare, these problems are compounded.

Efforts to address these problems and generate declines in maternal mortality are increasing. Just within the past five years, the number of new initiatives designed to generate new money for health systems and expand the reach of maternal and child programs have increased dramatically. Donor funding for maternal, neonatal, and child health has increased rapidly since 2004, from $2.1 billion to $3.5 billion in 2008. However, these increases have not kept pace with increases in funding for infectious diseases. In its briefing to the Obama transition team, ONE called for putting increased resources to build human capacity in developing countries and strengthen health systems, which would go a long way to addressing maternal and child mortality and could also help maximize investments in infectious disease programs.

With this funding – and the hopefully additional future funding to come from the United States and other donors – comes new opportunities to make strides in reducing maternal and child mortality. UNICEF proposes that to accomplish this goal, care for women and children must be delivered at key times during life and must integrate key levels of care, from the household to health facilities.

Delivering health services along a continuum of life phases and healthcare locations requires the backing of a strong health system. It also requires that women and girls have more opportunities for education, which is one of the highest yield investments over the long-term, boosting child survival rates and improving maternal health.

-Lisa Fleisher