The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has declared January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2034, the Second International Decade for People of African Descent under the theme, “People of African Descent: Recognition, Justice and Development.” Addressing the disparities in maternal deaths among women of African descent living in countries with communities of people of African descent is, therefore, aligned with the theme and objectives of the Second International Decade. Maternal mortality is preventable in most cases. Yet it continues to claim the lives of hundreds of thousands of women around the world. It is not only a global health issue but also a women’s rights and development challenge. Globally, there has been a significant reduction in maternal deaths, with levels decreasing from 443,000 in 2000 to 260,000 in 2023. Despite this progress, disparities persist between and within regions and countries. Among Black women or women of African descent living in countries with communities of people of African descent, the intersection of gender and race has contributed to disproportionately high maternal mortality rates. This disparity persists whether they reside in a country like the United States of America (U.S.), where nationally, maternal deaths have increased from 2000 to 2023, or they live in a country like Brazil, where maternal mortality has declined during this period. The ongoing disparities in maternal deaths among women of African descent violate several international laws, particularly the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. This report examines maternal mortality among women of African descent in the United States of America and Brazil. It explores two research questions, namely: 1. What are the key similarities and differences in maternal mortality trends among women of African descent in the U.S. and Brazil? 2. What is the range and effectiveness of current policies and initiatives designed to address maternal mortality among women of African descent in both countries? The report finds that, regardless of risk-reducing factors, women of African descent in the U.S. and Brazil are more likely to experience maternal deaths than women belonging to other racial groups. Furthermore, while some of the implemented policies and initiatives have contributed to declines in maternal deaths across the general population and reduced Black women’s risk of experiencing maternal deaths, others are riddled with limitations that hinder their effectiveness. Additionally, due to the absence of racially disaggregated data concerning the effectiveness of some of these policies and initiatives, their impact on reducing maternal deaths among women of African Descent remains unknown.