Huffington Post: Saving Mothers in Afghanistan: Progress, Challenges, and the Road Ahead
Vanessa Thevathasan, freelance researcher and writer

“Progress has been made, but, with Afghanistan at the bottom of global health rankings, the sustainable improvement of maternal well-being remains a serious and complex challenge in Afghanistan. … The coming year for Afghanistan will be crucial to realizing such ambitious goals [to ensure that at least 80 percent of women have access to emergency obstetric care by 2020]. The international community must remain committed to providing financial investment for integrated and sustainable maternal care development. While gains remain fragile, women and men have demonstrated a clear voice for change during the elections this month. All women have the basic human right to survive childbirth and experience a future as a mother. There is no greater time to make good on these promises in Afghanistan” (7/30).