A DECADE OF PROGRESS

This past decade was one marked by a collective commitment to save children’s and mothers’ lives. In 2012, the global health community rallied together to advance a shared vision to end preventable child deaths in a generation. Two years later, in 2014, USAID introduced the Acting on the Call Report, outlining simple, cost-effective, evidence-based interventions, which, if adopted at high coverage, could save millions of children’s lives. Convenings in India and Ethiopia reaffirmed this commitment and catalyzed national action. These efforts played a pivotal role in creating a worldwide movement behind the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs outline concrete, measurable targets to improve health globally, including two specific goals for preventing child and maternal mortality and a dozen others that are inextricably linked to improving maternal and child survival. Building on this momentum, USAID partnered with country governments to develop specific national action plans to drive annual progress towards these ambitious goals. Together, we made meaningful progress. 

In 2021 alone, USAID helped more than  91 million women and children access essential, often lifesaving, care.