Foreign Aid Sanctions Set Back Decades of Progress on Maternal, Child Mortality

Reductions in official development assistance can lead to a significant increase in death among mothers, children, and infants, according to a new Stanford-led study that reviewed three decades of sanctions on foreign aid. The researchers estimate that aid sanctions to low-resource countries lasting five years or more can negate 64% of progress against maternal mortality, 29% of the progress for infants, and 26% for children under 5. The study, which began in 2022, is the first of its kind to assess the global impact of aid sanctions on human health – particularly maternal and child health. Lead author Ruth Gibson and her co-authors hope government officials can use the findings to better understand how foreign policy decisions impact the health of local populations, then take steps to minimize unintended humanitarian harm, including waivers for lifesaving programs.