Ring fencing 15 percent of AUSAID and NZAID development assistance for sexual and reproductive health is one of the key recommendations of a report that's just been launched in Wellington.
The report by the New Zealand Parliamentarians Group on Population and Development arises from a hearing on Pacific maternal health held in September last year.
Jo O'Brien has more
"The report highlights the deaths of five women a day in the Pacific due to pregnancy or childbirth related causes. It says women's status is a major factor in maternal mortality, and that teenage pregnancy rates in some Pacific countries are among the highest in the world. The report says a drop in funding for family planning has played a significant role in the poor progress made on maternal health, and says a proportion of the ringfenced funding from AUSAID and NZAID should be directed towards this, and to care during and after pregnancy. The report says maternal death rates are highest in Melanesia, with Papua New Guinea coming second only to Afghanistan in the Asia-Pacific region. This is Jo O'Brien."
