Stillbirths are dismissed, stigmatised, and ignored by governments, media, and even health systems. Last week, a coalition of international researchers launched a new campaign to persuade political leaders to take stillbirths a great deal more seriously. The whole subject of stillbirths is bedevilled with myths. Stillbirths are not an important global health challenge? There are 2·6 million stillbirths annually, 1·3 million of which (horrifically) occur during labour. Stillbirths are inevitable? No, most causes of stillbirths (eg, infection, malnutrition) are entirely preventable. Preventing stillbirths is unaffordable? Investing in stillbirth prevention has a quadruple return, improving the prospects for mothers, newborns, children, and child development. Talking about stillbirth is insensitive? When you ask women (and men) who have suffered a stillbirth, they will tell you that breaking the silence is one of their most urgent and heartfelt wishes. The series of papers we published last week, inspiringly led by Joy Lawn, reported hopeful news—annual rates of reductions for stillbirths of around 2%. This decline in deaths isn't as spectacular as that for children younger than 5 years (4·5%), newborns (3·1%), or mothers (3%), but it is at least a decline. But study the data presented by Hannah Blencowe and colleagues more carefully, and their findings are quite simply shocking. Nobody—absolutely nobody, including WHO—is willing to confront this appalling scandal. Far from seeing stillbirth numbers fall, 55 countries are experiencing increases in stillbirths. This fact is rarely reported or discussed. Since these increases are of such importance, here are the top 20 worst performing countries (the numbers in brackets represent the increase in absolute annual numbers of stillbirths from 2000 to 2015): Nigeria (35 182), Niger (12 959), Democratic Republic of Congo (11 647), Chad (7680), Angola (4454), Algeria (3633), Zimbabwe (3500), Egypt (3331), Tanzania (3296), Kenya (3290), South Sudan (2908), Burundi (2362), Iraq (2353), Somalia (1807), Ghana (1787), Uganda (1119), Mali (1097), Madagascar (1089), Benin (1026), and Zambia (1021). Within this group of nations, you will also find Israel (102), Sweden (53), and Canada (24). The reasons are likely to be many—for low-income settings, a combination of population growth, failed institutions, weak leadership, zero advocacy, and a health system that just isn't up to the challenge. For Israel, Sweden, and Canada, the explanations are less clear. They demand urgent investigation. Despite these distressing figures, 2016 presents the best opportunity for a generation to address stillbirths. The Sustainable Development Goals emphasise the value and potential of every human life. A new Global Strategy for Women's, Children's, and Adolescents' Health provides the political space for action. But there is one final myth to defeat—the idea that a solution to stillbirths lies with another separately funded vertical health programme. To solve stillbirths will require investment in antenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal care. In other words, investment in the health system itself, strengthening a wide range of services for women and adolescent girls. Specific advocacy and action to address stillbirths is certainly needed. But this response should be integrated into other domains of the continuum of care for women, children, and adolescents. This year, The Lancet will be publishing series or commissions on breastfeeding, adolescent health, maternal health, cancer among women, and early child development. We will be mobilising for the Women Deliver conference in May. And a new round of Global Burden of Disease analyses will give important new insights into the health of women and children worldwide. These initiatives should not be seen as silos of special pleading. They should be viewed as layers of new evidence and policy designed and published to strengthen a unified strategy for women's and children's health. How we address stillbirths tells us something about the state of our society. Stillbirths are a sensitive indicator of our solidarity, cohesion, and inclusiveness. They indicate our commitment to attacking deprivation, marginalisation, and the social determinants of health. As we reflect on the science of stillbirths, we should also think about the society in which we wish to live. Is it a society that truly values every human life, or is it a society happy to condemn some human lives to arbitrary and preventable destruction? You decide.