Wednesday, May 20, 2009

in the name of motherhood



I recently read an incredibly troubling article in the Sunday Times. It began something like this, 'In West Africa, women face threats from warlords and exotic disease, and something even deadlier — motherhood.' I momentarily froze and reread this sad stat. With heavy heart I learned of the lack of value placed on the lives of pregnant women who suffer horrible losses all easily remedied elsewhere in the world. The point was less about accessibility and more about education and care in a patriarchal society. But what to do? We've heard the call to address inequality, to urge basic healthcare, to educate the orphaned. A place to start is here, the US Coalition for Child Survival, and here, to learn more of the Newborn, Child and Mother Survival Act of 2009. We know our voices sing loudest together. If you have time over the holiday weekend, be heard.

image: Permanet, a simple mosquito repellent to save lives,
via Design for the Other 90%

1 comment:

onesilentwinter said...

Thank you for posting this. the last few days i have been reading about the horrible conditions, beyond what the tele and newspaper tell you.

it is amazing how little can change a whole lot, a whole life.