Belgium commits 3 million euros to UNFPA to help end preventable maternal and newborn deaths

UNITED NATIONS, New York – Highlighting the urgent need for commitment and financing to end preventable maternal deaths, Belgium has announced at UNFPA’s Executive Board in June that it will make a 3 million euro contribution to UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, in support of its Maternal and Newborn Health Thematic Fund. 

Belgium’s new contribution, under the Team Europe Initiative for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights - a multi-actor initiative driving impactful actions to improve health services, access to rights, and empowerment for women and young people - will be instrumental in achieving one of the three transformative results UNFPA aims to realize by 2030. 

While maternal deaths globally have dropped by one third since 2000, between 2016 and 2020 the rate of reduction was zero – yet nearly all of these deaths could have been prevented. Every day, around 800 women die as a consequence of pregnancy or childbirth complications. The newly-released State of the World Population report by UNFPA shows how persistent inequalities and disparities have contributed to this stagnation, underscoring the importance of political will and sustained investments to reverse the trend. 

UNFPA estimates that US $115.5 billion is needed to end preventable maternal deaths in 120 priority countries by 2030. For the next five years – the current phase of the Maternal and Newborn Health Thematic Fund – UNFPA is calling for US$ 210 million, which will catalyze national and global investments towards ending maternal mortality, expand partnerships and empower communities to reduce maternal mortality, and ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health care.

Since its creation in 2008, the Maternal and Newborn Health Thematic Fund has provided safe delivery care to over 30 million pregnant women in more than 30 countries, across the Arab States, Asia and the Pacific, East and Southern Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and West and Central Africa. In 2023 alone, 180,000 midwives received in-service training, among the 550,000 midwives trained since the programme's inception. Additionally, 578 midwifery schools have been accredited, ensuring higher standards of education. In 2023, 8,697 fistula repair surgeries were also conducted, and more than 3,000 survivors received support for their reintegration. 

With the help of Belgium and other active partners of the Maternal and Newborn Health Thematic Fund, including France, Germany, Luxembourg, Sweden, and Takeda Pharmaceuticals, UNFPA is determined to further drive change towards a world where no mother or newborn dies during pregnancy, childbirth or after delivery due to preventable causes.