Slate: To Educate Children, We Have To Teach Their Parents

This conversation draws attention to the importance for a rational, data-inspired response to global issues. As a successful entrepreneur, I say often, data is the most information rich data stream. Every decision you make and in every approach to solving novel problems, data must be at the center of the decision, otherwise you’re speculating and relying on emotion.

Infant and maternal mortality are important indicators of a nation’s wellbeing and the overall quality of its health system. Over the last three decades, Ghana has achieved much improved primary care for mothers and children, but mortality rates are still significantly higher than the targets of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Later this week, world leaders will gather in New York at the United Nations to endorse international development goals for the next 15 years. It is the culmination of a four-year process for setting priorities to help the world’s most disadvantaged people—a process beset from the start by horse-trading, haggling and endless consultation. In a bid not to offend anyone, the new development agenda is expected to include an incredible 169 targets for investment. Giving priority to 169 things is the same as giving priority to nothing at all.