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:
Source: Aswat Masriya
Nearly five years ago, when Safaa* was 26 and a mother of two, she discovered that she had HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) - a disease which destroys the immune system of its host. To her, this was worse than a death sentence - it would force her to keep her medical history secret from even her closest relatives for the rest of her life.
Source: MSF
Unsafe abortion one of the 5 main causes of maternal mortality worldwide.
Source: WHO
Cervical cancer is caused by the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV), which is the most common viral infection of the reproductive tract. It affects younger age groups as a result of early sexual activity, multiple sexual partners, and exposure to other sexually transmitted infections such as HIV.
Source: UNFPA
It was early morning when a young sheikh, Abdi Iidan, and his wife joined the long queue leading to a tent in Morodijeex, in north-western Somalia. Mr. Iidan stood out from the crowd; women dominated the queue.
Source: Daily Nation
Women in Taita Taveta County have urged the government put measures to reduce cost of infertility treatment in the country.
Source: Daily Monitor
The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Jacob Oulanyah, has attributed the current high rate of teenage pregnancies in Acholi sub-region to older men preying on teens.
Source: allAfrica
Women in Taita Taveta County have urged the government put measures to reduce cost of infertility treatment in the country.
Source: Premium Times
The Federal Government's advocacy on the use of contraceptive among sexually active women in Nigeria for the prevention of unwanted pregnancy and abortion is beginning to yield positive results as more women are recorded to be embracing the method.
Source: Vanguard
Nkemdili Okeke (not real name) is a secondary school certificate holder who got married in 2011 at the age of 25, to a wealthy businessman in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria. Five years after marriage, she was yet to conceive. She was subjected to dehumanising treatments by her husband’s family.
Source: News Deeply
There is a common misconception among lesbians and health practitioners in Africa that women who have sex with each other are immune to sexually transmitted diseases. Tiffany Mugo is on a mission to change that.
Source: Voa News
More than 300 communities across four West African countries with some of the world's highest rates of female genital mutilation (FGM) are this month declaring themselves free of the practice in public ceremonies, a campaign group said on Tuesday.