U.S. officials have spoken of the need to promote the “3 Ds”—defense, diplomacy, and development—in recognition of the fact that success in places like Afghanistan cannot come through military action alone. One area where the United States has committed to helping that country is public health, especially for women and children. A central element of the U.S. strategy is improving maternal health, which is crucial given that Afghanistan has some of the worst maternal mortality statistics in the world. With the generous support of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, this project seeks to improve understanding of how the United States and international organizations can promote better maternal health in Afghanistan, and what larger benefits could result from such improvements in terms of defense, diplomacy, and development.