Do you think motherhood would still be so life threatening for the mother if it were men who bore children? On International Women’s Day, SAHFA thinks of the (hundreds of) millions of girls and women in rural, underserviced regions whose lives are repeatedly at risk because motherhood is too easily mortal for them, or leaves them with lifelong disabilities.
Would that still be the case if it were men who had to bear children? Their very low status is the main cause that this fundamental inequality in the right to life persists. Even where infant mortality decreases, maternal mortality doesn’t decrease at the same pace: it stagnates or even worsens!
JamboMama! can save the lives of both mothers and (unborn) children by improved knowledge and communication about pregnancy and childbirth and making prompt and adequate action possible. It is also a great opportunity to make a start with digital literacy in rural areas and overcoming gender based inequality so marked in traditional rural society and which is the root cause of persistent high maternal mortality.
JamboMama! brings digital literacy to the villages, addressing women as the main target group. This is a great leap forward on the road to gender equality in access to human rights, the first of which is the right to life. The right to respect, to be enabled for informed consent and decision making with relevant knowledge and information are rights in themselves, but also greatly contribute to safe motherhood with healthier happier outcomes for both mother and child.
So SAHFA says YES to balance for better, safer motherhood for all, everywhere, always. Happy International Women’s Day!
#BalanceforBetter #IWD2019