At the 67th World Health Assembly on 24 May 2014, governments from around the world made a historic commitment to end preventable newborn deaths. Health ministers of 194 countries endorsed the Every Newborn Action Plan (referred to from here on as Every Newborn) and ratified a resolution calling for its implementation.

The Every Newborn Action Plan sets a target to end all preventable newborn deaths by 2035 and achieve universal coverage of key services. The day of birth is the most dangerous time for both a mother and her baby, when access to good-quality care can often be the difference between life and death. Lack of access to these essential services results in nearly half of maternal and newborn deaths and stillbirths.

Save the Children calls for governments to commit to the policy change, investment and implementation required, and for development partners to provide the technical and financial support that will be needed to make this ambition a reality.