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: AllAfrica
Today, July 11, Uganda joins the rest of the world to mark the world population day under the theme: "Invest in preventing teenage pregnancy; Let Girls be Girls". Teenage pregnancy continues to be prevalent in Uganda.
Source: AllAfrica
The vice president and minister of Women's Affairs has underscored the need for more investment in adolescent girls for their own sake, stressing that educated and healthy girls will have the opportunity to reach their full potentials and have their human rights.
Source: Voice of America
Thursday, July 11, is World Population Day and the focus this year is on adolescent pregnancy. It’s estimated that 16 million teenage girls give birth every year. Many are in African or other developing countries.
Source: Daily Monitor
Resty Nakayenga is a Senior 3 student at Kasambya Parents Secondary School. Nakayenga, who is a mother of a one-and-a-half-year-old child, says she was raped and made pregnant at 16 by a 40-year-old man whom her father had introduced to the family as “uncle.”
Source: Health-e (Cape Town)
Vhembe — The Mukwevho family of Mulodi Village are mourning the death of their daughter Betty following a botched illegal abortion last week.
Source: IPS
It has been a month since the Kenyan government waived the maternity fee at public health facilities, but Millicent Awino is still one of the many expectant mothers in favour of a home birth.
Source: Coastweek.com
Kenya's First Lady Margaret Kenyatta on Friday called upon individuals and corporate institutions to support the treatment of women affected by fistula.
Source: Malawi News Agency (Lilongwe)
Mulanje — The Community Development Committee (CDC) which works to support needy girls under the bursary scheme of Campaign for Female Education (Camfed) in Mulanje says it is worried with the increase in the number of secondary school girls under the bursary scheme who are dropping out of school because of pregnancies.
Source: Global Post
As First Ladies from around the world, including Michelle Obama, gather in Tanzania on Tuesday to talk about women's empowerment, it's crucial that both education and contraception are addressed.
Source: The Star
High cases of maternal and infant mortality rates are as result of traditional massage, Malindi district Medical Superintendent Afsa Zuberi has said.
Source: The Star
18 girls who got impregnated in Nyakach District have been enrolled back in schools to continue with their education.
The program spearheaded by World Vision majorly targets young girls who have children to improve their future lives.