Topic:
Country: Slovenia
Delegate Name: Ava Chapman
Ava Chapman
Country: Slovenia
Committee: WHO
School: East Grand Rapids High School
Topic A: Maternal Mortality
Maternal mortality remains a global health problem deserving of the utmost attention. Harvard researchers speculate that roughly 300,000 women die annually from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. Although Slovenia’s maternal mortality rates are exceptionally low, having decreased 80% in 2023, the republic recognizes that countries worldwide continue to grapple with severe inequalities in the healthcare system, particularly prenatal care and postpartum support. Slovenia holds firm in believing that reducing maternal deaths is not only crucial but also feasible through international cooperation to establish equitable healthcare by means of evidence-based approaches.
Slovenia strongly supports the goal of reducing the maternal mortality rate to 70 per 100,000, which was expressed in Sustainable Development Goal 3.1 through emphasizing public healthcare with equitable access. Ensuring and strengthening access to healthcare across the globe, as well as directing resources to countries with the highest maternal mortality rates, should guide international efforts. The WHO guidelines, UNFPA programs, Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care standards, and Maternal Death Surveillance and Response systems will allow countries to build stronger frameworks with a mission of improving maternal health. SDG 3.1, WHO maternal health strategies, and UN resolutions on women’s health clearly outline goals and human-rights-based principles to aid countries in developing action plans to combat mortality rates. Slovenia has ensured free prenatal care and postnatal care, supported education programs to teach midwives, expanded emergency services, and taken part in WHO and EU maternal health initiatives. Internationally, Slovenia contributes to UNFPA programs that help expand reproductive health access in partner countries.
Looking ahead, Slovenia believes it is crucial to address social barriers such as limited transportation, lack of education, and gender inequality that hinder women from receiving timely care. Countries should also adopt WHO and UNFPA standards, improve digital health tracking, and enhance coordination among governments, health agencies, and professional organizations. Fully funded national plans will be a necessity to accomplish improvements concerning maternal mortality. Major causes of maternal death, including hemorrhage, infection, hypertensive disorders, unsafe abortion, and inadequate postnatal care, need to be addressed. Improving antenatal screening and ensuring access to proper healthcare are effective steps that can be taken. Slovenia remains deeply committed to ending preventable maternal deaths through fair access, effective tools, strong policy frameworks, and targeted interventions. By working together and recognizing women’s health as a fundamental human right, the international community can make safe motherhood a reality worldwide.
https://globalaim.bwh.harvard.edu/facts-figures/#:~:text=HOW%20MANY%20MOTHERS%20AND%20INFANTS,related%20to%20pregnancy%20and%20childbirth.
https://www.macrotrends.net/global-metrics/countries/svn/slovenia/maternal-mortality-rate#:~:text=Slovenia%20maternal%20mortality%20rate%20for,a%20200%25%20increase%20from%202019.
https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Issues/Women/WRGS/Health/ReportMaternalMortality.pdf
https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/mca-documents/qoc/quality-of-care/strategies-toward-ending-preventable-maternal-mortality-%28epmm%29.pdf?utm
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240108462?utm
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/maternal-mortality?utm_source
https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/topics/sdg-target-3-1-maternal-mortality
