MDG 5 to SDG3: Progress and Challenges in Women's Health

According to a report released by United Nations in 2014 maternal mortality ratio dropped globally from380 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 210 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2013. Unfortunately in spite of these gains, 222 million women have an unmet need for contraceptive services and the maternal mortality ratio in developing regions is still 14 times higher than in the developed regions.  Socio, economic and cultural barriers have been significant roadblocks in meeting the targets of MDG 5. Some of these include gender serotyping , lack of specific local and  national policies to address women’s health . Violence against women and girls which includes harmful cultural practices continues to impede the progress towards improving women’s health and reducing maternal morbidity and mortality.

Sustainable Development (SDG) Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages and is being implemented  by the United Nations and other stakeholders to ensure the smooth transition of MDG 4 and MDG5 into the new  global agenda for sustainable development .We need to as a global community  work to maintain and accelerate progress to  end all preventable maternal, newborn and child deaths within a generation, and promote universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights by addressing the social determinants of health and reach out to the most vulnerable and disenfranchised  sections of society.