State of the World’s Mothers 2014: Saving mothers and children in humanitarian crises

Save the Children’s 15th annual State of the World’s Mothers report focuses on millions of women and children living in communities affected by conflict, fragility and natural disasters, and their everyday struggle to survive.

More than 60 million women and children are in need of humanitarian assistance this year. Over half of maternal and child deaths worldwide occur in crisis-affected places; still the majority of these deaths are preventable. In this report, Save the Children examines the causes of maternal and child deaths in crisis settings, and suggests urgent actions needed to support mothers who are raising the world’s future generations under some of the most difficult and horrific circumstances imaginable.

“Each day, an estimated 800 mothers and 18,000 young children die from largely preventable causes.”

Since 2000, Save the Children’s annual Mothers’ Index has become a reliable international tool to show where mothers and children fare best, and where they face the greatest hardships, using the latest data on health, education, economics and female political participation. Looking at trends so far this century, we see how armed conflict, political instability and natural disasters have played a major role in undermining the well-being of mothers and children in the world’s poorest countries. We also see that progress is possible, even in countries suffering from devastating humanitarian crises.

“For every person killed directly by armed violence, between 3 and 15 die indirectly from diseases, medical complications and malnutrition”

For more than 90 years, Save the Children has been on the frontlines of emergencies around the world, providing food, lifesaving health care and protection from harm to the most vulnerable mothers and children. This report aims to further that mission by shining a spotlight on unmet needs, effective solutions and recommended policy changes.