1. BackgroundFollowing the establishment of the Millennium Declaration in 2000, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set targets to achieve them worldwide by 2015 and MDG 5 specifically aimed at enhancing maternal health (United Nations, 2024). Subsequently, in 2015, the adoption of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) continued the pursuit of improving maternal health and healthcare accessibility by setting specific targets of SDG 3; “(3.1) By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births; (3.7) By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes; and (3.8) Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality
Applicant’s Name: xxxIntended Program: International Studies (International Development and Cooperation)[Personal Statement]Global inequality was what I witnessed in Nepal and set my mind on fire to commit to international cooperation and development. Back in high school, I volunteered in Kathmandu as part of UN Habitat program and was shocked to see over 90 students crammed into a small classroom with no books, pencils, or curriculum. I also saw refugees wandering the streets in poverty. This unforgettable experience intrigued my academic interest in global inequality and human rights and I made up my mind to major in Global Affairs to advance my knowledge further in international cooperation and global inequality.As a Global Affairs major in college, I examined labor rights violations and movements in Asia countries in my thesis and the impacts they had on modern labor laws and the International Labor Organization. My junior year, I studied abroad in Tanzania and researched the histoks without sanitation or healthcare, I felt compelled to ask a question to myself: Are Rohingyas the only people suffering from health crises? No, my answer is that not only Rohingyas, but a host of global communities worldwide seek quality healthcare urgently due to emerging global conflicts. In addition, the medical contributions in refugee camps, Ms. xxx and xxx, showed how international aid could positively impact marginalized communities. By pursuing this process, I set a clear professional goal to engage in international cooperation to combat healthcare inequality and advocate for better access to medical care. These efforts eventually led me to currently join the KOICA Young Professional program at xxx and develop international medical and education projects for underprivileged children in Mongolia, Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia.[Motivation for applying to Korea GSIS]While organizing the xxx Forum at xxx as a communication intern in my senior year, I invited 28 biodiversity speciald networking, I realized international cooperation is crucial to promote collective actions for mutual needs and encourage a constructive paradigm of alliances.While shooting a digital advertisement campaign at xxx, I had a chance to speak with an anesthetist, Dr. xxx at the studio. Patients she met in Nigeria were 13 to 15-year-old pregnant girls, mostly died of complications from delivery, unsafe stillbirth, and infections after childbirth, which could have been prevented if they had received the right medical care from pregnancy to giving birth. Her testimony led me to think how the maternal and child healthcare lags behind in underdeveloped countries, and it was the moment that sparked my interest specifically in maternal and child health care in executing international medical aid projects afterward.[Study Plan]In light of my experiences, I am interested in studying the international cooperation among international organizations and development projects that focus on maternal and change core principles for best policy practices. Meanwhile, I am passionate about researching case studies of development projects that improve access to maternal services, quality education, and early childhood development. I will also assess its impact on the community in terms of sustainable capabilities and active empowerment. Consequently, this plan of study thoroughly aligns with my mission to build a more equal, prosperous, and healthier society alongside a Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s, and Adolescents’ Health.I firmly believe that an M.A. in International Development and Cooperation at Korea GSIS will best nourish my potential and expertise for future goals. Courses like ‘International Development Program and Project’, ‘Multilateral and Regional Cooperation for Economic Development’, and ‘International Development Assistance: Institutions and Policies’ will guide me to discover development frameworks with case studies and challenges. ‘International Rights of Women aen die every day during delivery or postnatal care, which is mostly preventable. Understaffed or underequipped health facilities, poor road infrastructure, and lack of pregnancy awareness are chronic issues in underdeveloped countries. Thus, maternal mortality is one of the biggest threats to the health system, in particular in Africa. I strongly believe the mother’s well-being is fundamental to the good health of the child, family, and the whole community. Therefore, I would like to continue my endeavor to build a healthy global society by actively engaging in international cooperation projects.For my future career, I would like to work for international development organizations such as UNDP or USAID, and lead development projects that reduce health poverty. As a specialist, I will analyze persistent barriers to maternal healthcare and implement development projects that facilitate universal access to reproductive healthcare and childbirth education. Along with maternal care, I will ld.