The Safe Motherhood Initiative is a worldwide effort that aims to reduce the number of deaths and illnesses associated with pregnancy and childbirth. It was launched at a conference held in Nairobi in 1987. Its aim was to draw the world's attention to the thousands of deaths and millions of serious complications that occur every year in association with motherhood. The conference was co-sponsored by a group of international agencies that founded the Safe Motherhood Inter-Agency Group (IAG), namely:
Since 1987 the Safe Motherhood Initiative has gathered momentum, maintaining support across hundreds of national and organizational boundaries to effectively address the inequitable burden of maternal death and ill-health borne by the developing countries. Individually and collectively the partner organisations raise international awareness about safe motherhood, influence political agenda, set programmatic priorities for the global initiative, support national programmes, commission research, mobilise resources, provide technical assistance, and share information to make pregnancy and childbirth safer.
Working in Partnership with the "Making Pregnancy Safer Team", World Health Organisation (WHO) and The International Office of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG)
