Health is a fundamental human right and is one of the essential conditions for exercising other human rights. The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) defines the right to health as everyone’s right to enjoy the highest attainable physical and mental health.
However, in reality, the right to health is currently not available for everyone to enjoy. Many people including pregnant women and children are unable to access crucial health services, which leads to high maternal mortality, child death and various infectious diseases. Every day, 830 women die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, and 99% of all maternal deaths occur in developing countries. Furthermore, less than half of all births in lower and middle income countries were assisted by skilled health personnel.