ReliefWeb

Essays by Peter Singer, Rick and Kay Warren, Anne Mulcahy,
Jennifer Garner and others on why investments in maternal and child health care in developing countries are good for America

In commemoration of Mother’s Day, Save the Children is publishing its twelfth annual State of the World’s Mothers report. We have assembled our Champions for Children – leading voices from academia, politics, religion, business and the arts – to celebrate the great progress the world has made in recent decades to reduce deaths among children under age 5. These distinguished essayists explore the many reasons why the United States, as a nation, must continue to invest in lifesaving maternal and child health programs. U.S. investment in basic health care for the world’s mothers and children will impact everything from the future of national security, to economic growth for American businesses in developing countries, and even the environment.

Millions of children are alive today because of past investments in lifesaving programs. But our work is not done. Each day, 22,000 children still perish, mostly from preventable or treatable causes. While many countries are making progress, many still need our help. This report identifies countries that are lagging behind in the race to save lives. It also shows that effective solutions to this challenge are affordable – even in the world’s poorest countries.