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. The 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.

“Foreign policy can be strategic in advancing national interests while also protecting the health of mothers and children,” said lead author Ruth Gibson, a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford Health Policy and, by courtesy, the Center for International Security and Cooperation. “We used cutting-edge analytic methods to assess the impact of this targeted geopolitical tool so we could make clear policy recommendations for governments considering foreign aid sanctions or cuts to foreign aid.”

The study published in The Lancet Global Health contributes to a growing foreign policy conversation about the use of foreign aid restrictions. The U.S. Congress has been considering ways to minimize the negative impacts of aid sanctions, while the shutdown of USAID has sparked additional debate on the removal of foreign aid and its impact on health.

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