The maternal mortality ratio is unacceptably high in Africa. Forty per cent of all pregnancy-related deaths worldwide occur in Africa. On average, over 7 women die per 1,000 live births. About 22,000 African women die each year from unsafe abortion, reflecting a high unmet need for contraception. Contraceptive use among women in union varies from 50 per cent in the southern sub-region to less than 10 per cent in middle and western Africa" UNFPA
Early and unwanted childbearing, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and pregnancy-related illnesses and deaths account for a significant proportion of the burden of illness experienced by women in Africa. Gender-based violence is an influential factor negatively impacting on the sexual and reproductive health of one in every three women. Many are unable to control decisions to have sex or to negotiate safer sexual practices, placing them at great risk of disease and health complications.
According to UNAIDS, there is an estimated of 22.2 million people living with HIV in Sub-Saharan African in 2009, which represents 68% of the global HIV burden. Women are at higher risk than men to be infected by HIV, their vulnerability remains particulary high in the Sub-Saharan Africa and 76% of all HIV women in the world live in this region.
In almost all countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa region, the majority of people living with HIV are women, especially girls and women aged between 15-24. Not only are women more likely to become infected, they are more severely affected. Their income is likely to fall if an adult man loses his job and dies. Since formal support to women are very limited, they may have to give up some income-genrating activities or sacrifice school to take care of the sick relatives.
For more information on HIV/AIDS and Reproductive health, please visit the following websites:
As current staff members at Our Bodies Ourselves (OBOS), an organization that has advanced the health and human rights of women and girls over four decades, and longtime reproductive justice activists, we continue to hope that safe and affordable abortion care will, someday, become a reality for everyone. With increasing attacks and restrictions on abortion access worldwide, we have our work cut out.
Source: RH Reality Check
African countries are too often lumped together as one big composite of grave statistics and chronic epidemics. Because of this, it’s especially important that the global development and reproductive health communities recognize and amplify those success stories that can be told. Especially when these stories are designed and driven by local efforts.
Source: The New Times
The number of mothers giving birth safely, especially at health centres in Rusizi District, dramatically increased from below 50 percent to 84 percent last year, statistics from Gihundwe Hospital confirm.
It was a busy, successful year for UNFPA, UN Population Fund, as it continued to work in 2011 with partners to address universal access to reproductive health, including maternal health, treatment for obstetric fistula and family planning, and to improve the lives of women and young people around the world.
Ethiopia's new plan to eliminate mother-to-child HIV transmission by 2015 cannot be attained unless men are more meaningfully involved in reproductive health, experts say.
Source: The Daily Observer
The campaign to eradicate Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has taken roots in The Gambia through raising awareness and building consciousness amongst the people. The Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices affecting the health of Women and Children (GAMCOTRAP) has recently completed a series of training and information campaign activities held in Janjangbureh, Sami Karantaba Tabokoto and Chamen Nainija, all in the Central River Region north.
Young leaders from 38 African countries have pledged to act as role models for their fellow youths by “protecting ourselves, our partners and families from HIV, sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancies, harmful practices and gender-based violence which negatively affect the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people.”
Source: Daily Monitor
I thought the Girl Power conference 2011 would be about preaching and more preaching but this wasn’t the case. The conference that ran with the theme, To Live or not to Leave was dedicated to all the people that are currently living with HIV. The conference took place on Tuesday, 20 December at the Rubaga Centre.
Source: The Herald Online
The Adult Rape Clinic in Harare says 16 percent of victims in rape cases it has handled this year tested HIV-positive. ARC said the statistics were of cases that were handled by Harare courts, but only accounted for those aged 16 years and above.
Source: The Herald Online
The uptake of the female condom remains low compared to male condoms as women fail to negotiate safe sex, the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council says.
Source: Daily Trust
The President, Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON) Dr Fred Achem has stressed the role of men in effective family planning practices in Nigeria.