“The Pathway to Achieving MDGs 4 & 5” (ACHIEVE) is implemented in four Eastern Indonesian provinces by UNICEF. The goals of the project are to:

Improve the district-based referral system to ensure accessibility to quality emergency care for women and newborn.
Ensure that all women and newborns receive quality and comprehensive care during pregnancy, delivery and postnatal periods.
Improve district health system management for maternal and neonatal health, through addressing issues such as inadequacy of planning and financing of health program and human resources, and weak health information system (HIS).
Inter-provincial exchange and experience sharing will be promoted, whereby Central Java will be in the role as technical resource.

The ACHIEVE project aims to improve pregnancy/delivery services to women and newborns, as well as increase their access to health service. Part of this strategy includes improving birth preparedness, which involves the men of the household. The preparedness training increases men’s awareness of the needs and possible dangers of the pregnancy/delivery, thus closing the gap between traditionally female matters and male matters. Increased access to health services, also a traditionally male realm, involves expanding services in a culturally acceptable way.

ACHIEVE places emphasis on supporting Indonesian provinces and districts to develop and implement strategies for improving maternal and child health. This is done initially through intensive technical assistance. UNICEF also works with other partners to coordinate activities in an effort to remove undue burden from the Government of Indonesia but also to harmonize/integrate community groups and mobilization activities with GOI plans.