The Center for Reproductive Rights submitted a shadow letter to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights for its review of Brazil during its 42^nd Session in May 2009. The letter discusses the issue of maternal mortality in Brazil, and its disproportionate effect on Afro-brazilians and rural women. The letter emphasizes that the failure to adequately address maternal mortality and provide quality maternal health care violates the right to health and the right to nondiscrimination.