Universal health coverage is off track in Asia and the Pacific. There has been insufficient progress to improve coverage of essential health services, with financial protection against healthcare costs worsening.

Maternity protection is a human right enshrined in Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Income security for newborn mothers ensures their mental and physical wellbeing and contributes to the healthy development of their infants.  Though 41 countries in Asia and the Pacific have instituted statutory maternity leave benefits, just over one in three newborn mothers is actually receiving a maternity benefit.

The recently concluded Seventh Session of the Asian and Pacific Population Conference (APPC) highlighted the need for forward-looking policies that harness the demographic transition and place individuals at the centre of sustainable development. Now is the moment to invest in policy tools that build resilience of individuals, especially for youth and young women, in part by extending access to social protection, providing quality education and employment opportunities, and enabling smoother job transitions.