The G8 is meeting in Canada this week and Plan UK‘s Chief Executive Marie Staunton took this opportunity to comment on the ongoing global failure to meet maternal health targets.

“Maternal health is the mother of all health challenges” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced to the world last year. Staunton points out, that of all the millennium goals, the world’s leaders are furthest off of the maternal health Development Goals than any other.

The suggestions are more targeted spending in this time of austerity. Money focused on younger women would meet a greater need, statistics show that under-19s are four times as likely to have complications in their pregnancy than older women. It is also a case of investing in preventative measures which save money in the long run and have a longer-term, positive impact. Other suggestions are enforced birth registration so women know how old they are and marriage laws are enforceable, and teaching life skills such as reading and writing so girls can learn more about the dangers of having a family early in life.

To address maternal mortality globally would cost US$26bn – yet there would be a saving of nearly US$2bn if that number included family planning. As money invested in that type of planning reduces the amount needed to tackle maternal mortality, reducing overall output.

Girls who fall pregnant leave school, which means they have few future job prospects. Every penny spent on girls’ schooling is an investment for the economy, which means a country is less likely to be reliant on aid. For each 2,000 girls who finish secondary school in Uganda for example, you can add $10.8 million to the country’s economy over their lifetimes. Not only is this the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do says Plan‘s Marie Staunton.