Improving maternal health, including reducing maternal mortality is an important priority for UNFPA and sits at the very heart of its strategic plan. From the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to the current Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), improving women’s access to sexual and reproductive health services with a view to reducing maternal mortality and improving overall maternal health, a critical indicator for improving general wellbeing, has been central in the organization’s work.

To this end, the Representation Office coordinates with Headquarters and the Regional Offices in Africa on all work related to maternal health to ensure they are well positioned in various continental level policies, instruments and processes. These include the Campaign for the Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa Plus (CARMMA Plus 2021-2030), a campaign that has currently been launched in 47 African countries largely with the active support of UNFPA; the Maputo Plan of Action for the Operationalization of the Continental Policy Framework on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (MPoA 2016-2030). All the work around maternal health are situated within the greater focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights and responds directly to UNFPA’s Strategic Plan (2022-2025).