In 2013, an estimated 289,000 women died during pregnancy or childbirth around the world, many because they did not have access to appropriate care. That figure represents a 47-per-cent improvement from the Millennium Development Goals' baseline of 1990, when about 523,000 died. But the progress still falls short of the three-quarters reduction the international community pledged to work toward more than a decade ago.
And the story is similar when it comes to preventing deaths of children younger than five: the annual number of deaths dropped from about 12.4 million in 1990 to 6.6 million in 2012, a reduction of nearly half. Despite this, the world is not expected to meet a goal to reduce child deaths by two-thirds.
The ask: Canadian non-governmental organizations are looking for another big commitment – $3.25-billion over the next five years.
The situation in five of the countries where Canadian maternal and child-health assistance is concentrated:
Afghanistan
Maternal mortality: 327 deaths per 100,000 live births
Newborn mortality: 36 deaths per 1,000 live births
Child mortality under five years old: 91 deaths per 1,000 live births
Haiti
Maternal mortality: 350 deaths per 100,000 live births
Newborn mortality: 25 deaths per 1,000 live births
Child mortality under 5: 76 deaths per 1,000 live births
Mozambique
Maternal mortality: 408 deaths per 100,000 live births
Newborn mortality: 30 deaths per 1,000 live births
Child mortality under 5: 90 deaths per 1,000 live births
Nigeria
Maternal mortality: 630 deaths per 100,000 live births
Newborn mortality: 39 deaths per 1,000 live births
Child mortality under 5: 124 deaths per 1,000 live births
South Sudan
Maternal mortality: 2,054 deaths per 100,000 live births
Newborn mortality: 36 deaths per 1,000 live births
Child mortality under 5: 104 deaths per 1,000 live births
Source: This data was compiled by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development and is based on United Nations reports and in-country surveys.