Improve maternal health

 

99 percent of maternal deaths occur in developing countries. Half of these occur in sub-Saharan Africa, where the highest maternal mortality ratio is registered (920 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births). The countries with the highest maternal mortality ratios are Sierra Leone (2,100 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births) and Niger (1,800), while Chad (1,500), Somalia (1,400), Angola (1,400), Rwanda (1,300), and Liberia (1,200) follow closely the worrying trend. In 2007 the proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel in sub-Saharan African was 44 percent, a minimal increase from 1990 when it was 42 percent. The Millennium Development Goals Report Indicators.

(Sources: “The Global Gender Gap Report”, 2009, World Economic Forum; “Progress for Children: A Report Card on Maternal Mortality”, 2008, UNICEF”; “The Millennium Development Goals Report Indicators”, 2009, UN).(CSD)