The Initiative

Women Deliver

Women Deliver is a global advocacy organization bringing together voices from around the world to call for action against maternal death. Launched at a groundbreaking 2007 conference, Women Deliver works globally to generate political commitment and financial investment for fulfilling Millennium Development Goal #5 — to reduce maternal mortality and achieve universal access to reproductive health. The initiative builds on commitments, partnerships, and networks mobilized at the conference, fighting to end the deluge of preventable deaths that kill approximately 287,000 girls and women every year from pregnancy-related causes. Women Deliver’s message is that maternal health is both a human right and a practical necessity for sustainable development.

We stand behind our theme: “Invest in Women — It Pays!” This theme captures a simple truth: When a society spends money and other resources to improve the lives of women, children and families, the benefits rebound through that entire society:

What Will Women Deliver Do?

Women Deliver engages with influential policy makers and budget planners from donor country and developing governments, multi-lateral agencies, and foundations to mobilize increased funding allocations for maternal health. Efforts also focus on bringing together all sectors—education, health, development, equity, human rights, poverty reduction, and micro-finance. We aim to bridge the borders that have separated us and find ways to create the political will to save women and children—and invest in their lives so that they may survive and thrive.

Selected strategies and activities include:

• Engaging with influential policy makers leading up to and during key global events;
• Carrying out press and media outreach in key donor and developing country outlets on maternal health as a development and human rights issue;
• Monitoring by civil society groups of policy and budget allocations for maternal and newborn health in select countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean;
• Supporting maternal health and development institutions in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean to promote the four core strategies to improve maternal and newborn health;
• Engaging leaders and activists to address and advocate for maternal health within related sectors in health and development

Why Women Deliver? Why NOW?

The launch of Women Deliver marked twenty years of the Safe Motherhood Initiative which aimed to cut maternal deaths worldwide by half. Now, two decades of study and experience later, we know how to save lives. Women Deliver unites diverse sectors to act on that knowledge NOW.

Click here to read more about the Safe Motherhood Initiative.