Maternal Health
28) We began an inquiry into maternal health
in autumn 2007. The main purpose of the inquiry was to examine
how donors—particularly DFID—could better support
progress towards Millennium Development Goal 5, which seeks a
reduction by three-quarters in the level of maternal mortality
worldwide and universal access to reproductive health by 2015.
29) The Committee heard oral evidence from a
wide range of non-governmental organisations, academics, and international
organisations during five evidence sessions at Westminster between
October and December 2007. We timed our first evidence session
to coincide with a major international conference on maternal
health in London in October and were fortunate to be able to use
this opportunity to hear evidence from leading UN officials, including
the Executive Director of the UN Population Fund, Thoraya Ahmed
Obaid, and from Dr Grace Kodindo, an obstetrician and maternal
health activist working in Chad, one of the countries with the
highest maternal mortality ratios. One evidence session was held
in the week of World AIDS Day and explored the close intersections
between maternal, sexual and reproductive health and with the
HIV/AIDS epidemic. This was in line with our practice of maintaining
an annual focus on progress towards halting the global HIV/AIDS
epidemic.
30) We published our Report in March to coincide
with Mothers' Day in the UK. It highlighted that there is considerable
uncertainty about the real scale of maternal mortality, particularly
in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, and argued that it is reasonable
to assume that up to one million women die each year in childbirth.
Many of these deaths are largely avoidable through simple interventions,
such as the presence of skilled birth attendants. Progress towards
meeting the MDG has been very slow and indeed in some African
countries maternal deaths are increasing due to HIV prevalence,
conflict and weak health systems. We highlighted that a primary
factor in this had been a lack of political will and international
advocacy to improve maternal health in developing countries. We
concluded that DFID needed to continue to play a leading global
role—despite its headcount restrictions—in pushing
this neglected Millennium Development Goal far higher up the global
agenda. To achieve this, we advised that the UK Government should
take full advantage of a series of crucial opportunities offered
in 2008, including a UN High Level Event on the MDGs in September.
We questioned the Secretary of State on progress made on maternal
health issues at this Summit during our evidence session in October.
Working Together to Make Aid
More Effective
31) DFID's budget continues to rise sharply
as the UK works towards the target of allocating 0.7% of Gross
National Income to Official Development Assistance (ODA) by 2015.
Under the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review settlement, DFID's
budget will increase to £7.9 billion by 2010-11, an increase
of around 36% over the three years. This is a trend which we have
frequently praised and continue to support. However, we have also
repeatedly made clear that DFID must not assume that greater inputs
necessarily deliver better poverty reduction outcomes. We embarked
on an inquiry to examine how DFID was working with other donors
and with developing countries to ensure that its rising budget
was spent effectively and that the principles of the 2005 Paris
Declaration on Aid Effectiveness were being adhered to.
32) In March 2008 we visited Ghana for discussions
with the Ghanaian Government, civil society representatives, public
servants, community leaders and representatives, and donor community
representatives. In May 2008 we visited Rome, Berlin and Copenhagen
to discuss coordination with governments, civil society representatives
and our counterparts. We also held a video-conference with Swedish
Parliamentarians and officials from the Swedish Development Agency
(SIDA).
33) Our report was intended to influence DFID's
contribution to the Accra High Level Forum held in September,
a conference of donors and partner countries at which progress
against the Paris Declaration was assessed and next steps discussed.
We urged DFID to make progress in two key areas: the division
of labour among donors; and developing countries' ownership of
the development process. The Government's Response to our Report
set out the main achievements of the Accra Forum.[12]
Our Report was tagged as relevant to the debate in the House
in November on International Aid Transparency.[13]
12 Seventh Special Report, Session 2007-08, HC 1065 Back
13
HC Deb, 13 November 2008, cols 1006-1056 Back
