Sexual and reproductive health and rights

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Promoting the well-being of the most vulnerable members of society: mothers, children and adolescents

Progress has been slow in maternal, child and adolescent health. Globally, about 810 women die each day during pregnancy and childbirth (UNICEF, 2020). In 2019, over six million children and young adolescents died, of which 5.2 million were children under the age of five (UNICEF, 2020). Most of these deaths were preventable. 

With the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation is getting worse. Projections suggest that even a moderate decrease in the provision of pregnancy, childbirth and neonatal care could result in 28,000 additional maternal deaths and 168,000 newborn deaths. More than 47 million women in low- and middle-income countries could lose access to contraceptives, resulting in up to 7 million unintended pregnancies. 

To address these and related challenges, German development cooperation supports a many-faceted response, starting with universal access to information about sexual and reproductive health and to reliable methods of contraception. Health staff are trained and equipped to provide rights-based family planning, pre- and postnatal care and assisted deliveries, as well as treatment of sexually transmitted infections – including prevention of mother-to-child transmission. Young people are targeted with tailor-made programmes promoting healthy lifestyles through school health programmes, special youth clinics and GIZ’s ‘Join-in Circuit’. You can discover these German-supported approaches in the articles, studies and events on this page.