| For most women around the world, childbirth and motherhood are normal and healthy experiences. However, for many mothers and their newborns, it can also mean death or long term illness resulting from mostly preventable complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. In Nepal maternal mortality and morbidity affects almost every home. It is estimated that 539 women die out of every 100,000 live births due to maternity related problems. It means every year more than 4000 women are dying due to complications related to pregnancy and child birth at the same time between 6 to 15 women face morbidity as a consequence. Thus for Nepali women, safe motherhood is a key human rights and development issue. It is also estimated that neonatal mortality in Nepal is 39/1000 live birth (third highest in the world). Thus every year in Nepal, 30,000 newborns die in the first month of life. Most of these deaths and complications could be prevented by providing information and extensive coverage of quality health services to women and their newborns. A tremendous amount of collaboration, understanding, patience and passion is required to address the issue of safe motherhood and newborn health in this beautiful but difficult country.
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