While Maternal and Child mortality remains a global concern, Rwanda is one of the countries proving the possibility and hope of achieving the Sustainable Development Goal on maternal deaths of 70 per 100,000 live births though more efforts are still needed. Rwanda was able to reduce the Maternal Mortality Ratio from 1,071 deaths in 2,000 to 203 deaths in 2019-2020 per 100,000 live births, an enormous achievement worthy to celebrate!

To achieve the Sustainable Development Goal, an unusual focus, attention and efforts will need to be invested in the young and teenage mothers’ maternal health. According to the Rwanda DHS 2019-2021, only 43.2% of pregnant girls below 20 years of age attended 4 antenatal care visits while for those aged 20-35 was 49.5%. It again reported that 7.4% and 7.2% of deaths among females aged 15-19 and 20-24 respectively, are maternal.



Several studies have pointed out the enormous risks which are associated with teenage pregnancies, such as anemia, preterm labor, urinary tract infections, preeclampsia, high rate of cesarean sections, preterm birth, and low birth weight infants and even maternal and newborn mortality.



Towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goal on maternal deaths of 70 per 100,000 live births, we as a for youth by youth movement and youth led NGO, we offer the below commitments and contributions: