Maternal death rate in Sierra Leone is a "human rights emergency"
21 September 2009At the United Nations General Assembly meeting on 23 September, access to healthcare in the developing world will be high on the agenda.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected to announce a series of new finance packages devoted to improving healthcare in the developing world with particular focus on infant and maternal health. Sierra Leone is expected to be among the recipients of the fund.
"Additional money is desperately needed in Sierra Leone but will not reach women and children in remote areas who are at greatest risk," said Irene Khan. "The lives of women and girls will only be saved when the health system is properly managed and the government is held to account.
&"Money alone will not solve the problem. In Sierra Leone severe discrimination and the low social status of women underlies the terrible tragedy of maternal deaths. This is a country where girls are forced into early marriage, excluded from schools and face sexual violence. Women's health needs are given a low priority by their own families, community leaders and their government."
Irene Khan's visit to Sierra Leone marks the start of Amnesty International's action against maternal mortality in the country. A "campaign caravan" will tour Sierra Leone over the coming weeks, providing information and fuelling debate on the issue of maternal health.
Amnesty International believes poverty is a human rights issue. This year, it launched a global campaign called Demand Dignity, which calls for an end to the human rights violations that drive and deepen poverty.
The Demand Dignity campaign mobilises people across the world to demand that governments and corporations listen to the voices of those living in poverty and respect their rights.
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