Exploring the Sustainable Development Goals in the Context of Sexual, Reproductive and Maternal Health in Africa

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By: Kayla McGowan, Project Coordinator, Women and Health Initiative, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

This September, the African Journal of Reproductive Health launched a special edition on the implications of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Africa’s development. Despite notable achievements, sub-Saharan Africa did not meet many of the preceding Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). And as of 2015, more than half of maternal deaths worldwide occur in sub-Saharan Africa. To meet the SDG targets related to maternal newborn health, namely SDG 3 (“ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”) and SDG 5 (“achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”), the global community must remain vigilant in its efforts, especially in high-burden settings. The special edition provides a platform for commentary, original research and review articles on Africa’s transition from MDGs to SDGs in the context of sexual, reproductive and maternal health.

Challenges, implications and lessons learned

The edition explores the challenges and implications of the new global goals and ways to apply lessons learned from the MDGs to the SDGs:

Commentary

Original research

Interventions

The issue includes evaluations of specific interventions, such as the use of essential medicines and quality education, that can advance sexual, reproductive and maternal health to meet the global targets:

Commentary

Original research

Review article

Measurement

The special edition provides insight into the lack of high quality data and the need for improved measurement to achieve the SDGs:

Commentary

Original research

Review article

Though the special edition covers a wide range of topics, the authors converge on a call to increase reliable, disaggregated data, expand access to family planning and lifesaving medicines and address the root causes of preventable maternal deaths in order for Africa to meet the ambitious SDG targets.

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