The health and rights of women, children, and adolescents remain essential foundations for sustainable development, economic growth, and social progress. However, progress toward achieving global health-related Sustainable Development Goals has slowed in recent years, raising concerns among international organizations and development partners. Experts are calling on G7 leaders to place women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health, including sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), at the center of global development priorities during France’s 2026 G7 presidency.
Despite significant advancements in healthcare over previous decades, preventable maternal and child deaths continue to occur on a large scale. In 2023, approximately 260,000 women died from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. During the same period, nearly 4.8 million children died before reaching their fifth birthday, with newborns accounting for a substantial share of these deaths. Additionally, millions of pregnancies end in stillbirths each year, highlighting persistent gaps in maternal and newborn healthcare services worldwide.
Access to sexual and reproductive health services plays a critical role in improving health outcomes and reducing preventable deaths. While a majority of women globally have access to modern family planning methods, significant inequalities remain across regions and populations. Adolescents face particular challenges, with millions of girls between the ages of 15 and 19 giving birth annually. Expanding access to reproductive health services, education, and information is widely recognized as a key strategy for improving maternal and child health while promoting gender equality.
