MDGs to SDGs: Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health in India

India, with over 300 million people under the age of 15, is home to the 4 largest population of children in the world. This makes Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (RMNCH) one of the top priorities for the country. While India made notable progress towards the MDGs, its achievements vary across goals, and unfortunately it did not succeed in achieving some crucial targets. Looking ahead, though, it is interesting to note the similarity in the vision of the new Government of India (GoI) and that of the SDGs. The SDGs aim “to leave no one behind”, focusing specifically on the vulnerable; the GoI, under its motto Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas(together with all, development for all) declared that the “first claim 5 on development belongs to the poor.