Maternal mortality continues to remain unacceptably high, in many countries in the world, including in the Asia Pacific region, and every day in 2017, approximately 810 women died from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. While progress has been made with a 38% reduction in the global maternal mortality ratio (MMR) since 2000, with the MMR in 2017 estimated at 211, this is just not enough progress towards the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) PoA and the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development maternal mortality reduction targets. Pregnancy and childbirth-related mortality and morbidity remains a key challenge to be addressed in the Asia Pacific region, especially in Southern Asia. Most maternal deaths up to 90% are avoidable, as the health care solutions to prevent and manage these complications are well known and hence, constitute a gross violation of human rights. This brief is part of ARROW’s State of the Region Report on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD+25), developed as a result of monitoring of 25 years of implementing the ICPD programme of Action in the region by ARROW and our partners.
