News outlets report on the Partners’ Forum 2014, sponsored by the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH) and taking place this week in Johannesburg, South Africa, as well as other issues surrounding maternal and child health.

Agence France-Presse: High-birth Niger strives to lower maternal mortality
“…The West African state and humanitarian groups have worked to slash both birth and maternal mortality rates, but despite strides results are not good enough, the U.N. warned this week…” (Hama, 6/28).

Associated Press: Studies question U.N. strategies to save mothers
“In the past decade, billions of dollars have been spent trying to save the lives of mothers in developing countries using strategies — usually inexpensive drugs — deemed essential by the U.N. health agency. Yet two large analyses of maternal health programs — including one conducted by the U.N. itself — report that the efforts appeared almost useless, raising troubling questions about why all that money was spent…” (Cheng, 6/29).

Ghana News Agency/GhanaWeb: Global Leaders meet in Johannesburg on Maternal Child Health
“…The 2014 Partners Forum, which spans June 30-July 2, will identify success factors and outline the remaining challenges the world must collectively overcome to improve the health, education, equality and empowerment of every woman and child…” (6/30).

The Hindu: More education among women helps reduce maternal and child mortality in Bangladesh
“Bangladesh is a classic case of a low- and middle-income country achieving the unachievable which many others failed to. It reduced its maternal mortality by 66 percent between 1990 and 2010; the reduction was 40 percent between 2001 and 2010 alone…” (Prasad, 6/30).

U.N. News Centre: Ban urges focus on adolescent girls to reduce maternal mortality
“To triumph over maternal mortality, initiatives must focus on adolescent girls, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today said, ones that allow them to go to school, marry whom they choose, shield them from harmful traditional practices and provide them with appropriate family planning services…” (6/28).