“Access to life-saving maternal health care is one of the biggest challenges for women in the developing world,” Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) writes in the Huffington Post’s “Global Motherhood” blog. She notes “pregnancy is the leading cause of death for women ages 15 to 19 worldwide,” and “[w]hen a mother dies, her children are less likely to eat well, go to school and get immunized against diseases.” Granger highlights a community in the Ayacucho region in Peru, where “women often deliver their children without clean delivery rooms or trained professionals,” and she discusses how the non-governmental organization “CARE strengthened the community’s capacity to address maternal health risks by convening a broad spectrum of health workers to develop practical emergency obstetric protocols and provide training and resources to implement them.”

Noting “CARE also works with women and men to help them plan their families,” Granger continues, “As a result of these changes, women’s lives in Peru were saved.” She writes, “Some may wonder why the issue of global women’s health, particularly maternal health, should matter,” adding, “The answer is simple. We live in a global community and are global citizens.” She states, “Providing an opportunity for women to be educated about maternal and reproductive health is the first step. Improvements in the lives of these women and countries help everyone because progress and prosperity anywhere mean a more peaceful and stable world for us all.” Granger concludes, “Let’s stand together with mothers around the world by lending our support for better global health services for women” (9/9).