Investing in Maternal and Child Health: Development Impact Bonds - Potential and Early Learning

Global child mortality rates fell by more than half between 1990 and 2016. However, rates are still too high and often caused by preventable causes, such as pneumonia, diarrhoea, and malaria. There are ways to address maternal, newborn, and child mortality, but efforts are hindered by financing gaps. Without funding, life-saving interventions are cannot be effectively disseminated and scaled.  

This report collects and shares the experiences of partners involved in two development impact bonds (DIBs): the Cameroon Newborn DIB and the Utkrisht Impact Bond. The author, from Save the Children, draws up in-depth case studies via interviews with various project stakeholders. The report focuses on the "process of formation" of the DIBs. Key report recommendations include improvements to the evidence base and the development of central platforms to convene potential DIB stakeholders.