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Here are some blogs we love that discuss the many important issues related to childbirth.

Citizens For Midwifery

This is the blog for Citizens for Midwifery, which is a US-based non-profit, volunteer, grassroots organisation promoting the Midwives Model of Care. They explain: “At the core of the Midwives Model of Care is deep respect for the normalcy of birth and for the uniqueness of each childbearing woman and her family. This approach to maternity care promotes health and helps to prevent complications. Care providers who practice this model of care have excellent outcomes while providing safe, individualized care.” The blog provides news and comment on relevant issues.

Woman To Woman Childbirth Education

The Woman to Woman Childbirth Education blog is by Kathy Petersen, who is interested in “all things pregnancy”. There is useful and interesting information in many of the posts, living up the ‘educational’ part of the blog’s title. There is also commentary on the pregnancy issues hitting the headlines as well as facts and figures.

The LaborPayne Epistles

The LaborPayne Epistles blog is “the words and teachings of a birth apostle and a humble scribe”. The blogger describes herself as a “wife, mom, nurse, writer, poet, lactivist and birth activist all rolled up in one quiet contemplative package”. The mission is “to change the world, one woman, one story, one birth at a time”. There is lots of education information on subjects such as breastfeeding, midwives and homebirth as well as practical advice such as ‘how not to bathe a baby’.

Passion For Birth

This is the blog of Passion for Birth, which is a childbirth education training programme that is on a mission to stamp out boring childbirth classes. There are plenty of interesting snippets about pregnancy as well as amusing videos and links.

Science And Sensibility

Science & Sensibility is a research blog about “healthy pregnancy, birth and beyond”. The blog is from Lamaze International who promote “a natural, safe and healthy approach to pregnancy, childbirth and early parenting practices”. The blog has numerous contributors with medical and scientific backgrounds, and the posts report on new research and the latest developments.

Independent Childbirth

This is the blog of Independent Childbirth, an organisation that provides support and resources for birth consumers. They say: “We raise public awareness of preferred childbirth preparation classes which promote healthy birth information and birth advocacy for mothers and their babies.” The blog contains education, information, resources and support.

Please sign the petition that calls on governments to meet their commitments on sexual and reproductive health.

15 and Counting are campaigning for reproductive rights, so we thought we’d let you know about other blogs with the same mission.

Share Net

This is the website of Share-Net, a network of Dutch development organisations and individual consultants working in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights, and HIV. The organisation explains: “Share-Net aims to maintain and strengthen the capacity of its members through information sharing, capacity building and policy dialogue.” The website features news and events on the relevant issues.

Blog For Choice

This is the blog of NARAL Pro-Choice America which says it as has been the leading advocate for privacy and a woman’s right to choose. The organisation has over a million members and is “fighting to protect the pro-choice values of freedom and privacy”. The blog features news, opinions, videos and campaigns.

Womenstake

Womenstake is the blog of the blog of the National Women’s Law Center, whose mission is “to protect and advance the progress of women and girls at work, in school, and in virtually every aspect of their lives”. The Center’s Health and Reproductive Rights program fights “to protect reproductive rights… protecting a woman’s right to decide to have an abortion; expanding access to affordable birth control, including emergency contraception; investing in comprehensive sex education and ending federal funding for abstinence-only programs”. The blog features a weekly roundup of relevant news plus comment on the burning issues.

Abortion Blog

This is the Abortion Blog, written by a “pro-choice, proud atheist”. The author also admits to being a bit of a biology nerd. She says the blog is “for women and girls who need a chance to hear from someone about what it’s really like, and something I need to help me through this sort of scary experience that lots of women go through, but few talk about”. The posts consist of news and campaigning updates, as well as opinions.

Reproductive Rights Prof Blog

The Reproductive Rights Prof Blog is a member of the Law Professor Blogs network. Unlikely many of the more general reproductive rights blogs, this one has a specific legal and academic focus. It’s edited by Caitlin E. Borgmann, a professor of Law at the CUNY School of Law, and the aim of the blog is to provide resources, news, and information for law school professors who specialise in reproductive rights. There is news that will be of particular interest to academics and litigators, and also announcements of conferences and abstracts of recent scholarships on reproductive rights topics.

Please sign the petition that calls on governments to meet their commitments on sexual and reproductive health.

As a little thank you to our feminist supporters we thought we’d share the feminist blogs we love.

Shakesville

Shakesville is “a feminist blog, and a feminist’s blog… it is a progressive blog. It is a safe space. It is a community”. It describes its key objectives as “equality, momentum, growth, community, empathy and laughter”. Subjects covered include domestic politics, foreign policy, high culture, pop culture, books, the patriarchy, oppression, repression, religion, philosophy and parenting. There is also mainstream stuff like films and TV as well as more off-the-wall topics discussed such as “why women’s trousers have so many buttons”.

Feminist Blogs

Feminist Blogs is a community of weblogs by “self-identified feminists, women’s liberationists, womanists, and pro-feminist men”. The idea is to raise awareness of feminist issues and promote cross-linking and discussion between feminist bloggers. The people behind the project say blogging “holds a lot of promise for the feminist voices that are marginalised, co-opted, or simply silenced in the traditional ‘malestream’ media”. It’s a “big tent” and contributions from men are welcomed, providing they are supportive of feminism and write regularly on gender issues. The posts are interesting and informative, being both news and comment based, with the use of embedded videos and pictures as illustration.

42ndWaveFeminist

42ndWaveFeminist is a “nerd and a feminist” who says she has a deepening interest in politics, “especially state politics, and has a few things to say”. The blog certainly reflects that and there are interesting discussions on the latest political developments as well as more general issues such as the way language is used.

A Very Political Woman

A Very Political Woman is a blog by Samantha Grace, who “shows the world in a new light – perhaps one without rose coloured glasses”. She talks about politics, progressive ideals, feminism and much more. She says her blogging has turned into “a labor of love and dedication”. There’s a healthy dose of humour along with more serious musings.

Appetite For Equal Rights

Appetite For Equal Rights is “a blog for the modern feminist”. The creator of the blog is Amy Rubinson, who wanted to counter the paucity of coverage of women’s issues in the mainstream media. She says: “Blogs can ultimately make up for what major news stations and websites lack. Feminist blogging is our way of challenging the patriarchy by giving women the voices they need but are often deprived of.” The posts are mostly a personal interpretation of the news, with the aid of pictures and videos.

Confabulous

This is a website that discusses “politics and pop culture from a Canadian perspective and for a funny, fearless, female audience”. The slogan of Confabulous is “dancing at the revolution in a great pair of shoes”. The publishers explain: “That refers to Emma Goldman’s famous quote, ‘If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be a part of your revolution.’ We, too, want to dance at the revolution, but we want to look and feel stylish while we’re doing it. Hence our equal commitment to covering both politics and culture.” Sex and gender issues feature heavily.

Female Impersonator

This blog is called Female Impersonator. The title comes from a quote by Susan Brownmiller, a feminist who is best known for her her book Against Our Will: Men, Women, and Rape (1975): “Women are all female impersonators to some degree.” The blog’s author, Amelia, concurs because “women often have to act in certain ways to conform to what society deems is appropriate for women”. The blog’s post discuss many feminist-related issues, such as abortion, birth control and definitions of feminism.

Women’s Resource Center

Empowered and Informed is the blog of the Women’s Resource Center, a US-based not-for-profit organisation that exists to “improve women’s lives and empower them to achieve their fullest potential”. It’s used as “a space to trade ideas and generate conversation about empowering women”. Readers are urged to “speak up and share their voice”.

Adventures of a Young Feminist

The Adventures of a Young Feminist covers “feminism and pop culture with a little bit of sarcasm on the side”. As is the case with many feminist blogs, it was created by its author - Laura Sundstrom - to counter a perceived lack of feminist news and feminist perspectives on current events. Sundstrom protests: “Women still do not have the same social standing as men. They are still discriminated against in the workplace, media, government, and society in general.” The focus is on popular culture because it is “part of society that reflects the values and interests of society in general”. However, there is also news from the feminist community.

Feministe

Feministe claims to be one of the feminist blogs online and is “designed and run by women from the ground up”. There are numerous authors and book reviewers, as well as guest bloggers. There is plenty of news with a feminist angle and the numerous categories include abortion, body image, civil rights, sex, sex work, pregnancy and parenthood. There is also a large comment section for “safe, pro-feminist discussion”.

Please sign the petition that calls on governments to meet their commitments on sexual and reproductive health.

The fact that children raised in homes without a father have sex earlier is down to their genes, say US researchers.

The study tested for genetic influences as well as factors such as poverty, educational opportunities and religion.

The more genes the children shared, the more similar their ages of first intercourse regardless of whether they had an absent father or not.

A spokesman for the charity, Brook, said children needed early education to help them make informed choices.

The study published in the journal, Child Development, says several theories have been advanced about the environmental factors which influence this association between absent fathers and early sex.

One theory suggests that because these children observe unstable or stressed parental relationships, they learn that resources are scarce, and people untrustworthy.

This leads them to mature in such a way that they are geared towards mating rather than parenting.

While there is clearly no such thing as a ‘father absence gene’, there are genetic contributions to traits in both mums and dads that increase the likelihood of earlier sexual behaviour in their children

Another states that because adolescents reared in single-parent households may have parents engaging in sexual behaviour with partners to whom they are not married, the children may be more likely to view non-marital sex as the norm.

And a third theory states that a single-parent family structure may encourage adolescent sexuality by reduced parental control.

In other words two parents can much more closely monitor their offspring’s activities and social networks, reducing the opportunities for sex.

But this study shows these factors are not as important as genes in determining early sexual behaviour.

The researchers at the University of Oregon compared the average age of first intercourse among children whose fathers were always absent, partially absent or always present throughout childhood.

They looked at more than 1,000 cousins aged 14 and older from the American National Longitudinal Survey of Youth.

For the children whose fathers were always absent, 63.2% reported having had sex.

This compared to 52.5% of children whose fathers were sometimes absent.

And only 21% of children whose fathers were always present.

The average age of first intercourse for children whose fathers were always absent was 15.28, compared to partially fathered children at 15.36 and 16.11 for children whose fathers were present for all of their childhood.

It compared children who were related in different ways to each other, and who differed in whether they had lived with their fathers.

The more genes the children shared, the more similar their ages of first intercourse, regardless of whether or not the children had an absent father.

Jane Mendle, professor of psychology at the University of Oregon, who led the study said: “The association between father’s absence and children’s sexuality is best explained by genetic influences, rather than by environmental theories alone.

“While there is clearly no such thing as a ‘father absence gene’, there are genetic contributions to traits in both mums and dads that increase the likelihood of earlier sexual behaviour in their children.

All young people need access to confidential sexual health services as well as high quality education about sex and relationships from a young age

But Professor Mendle said her study did not have the power to discriminate conclusively between genetic and environmental factors and further research with a larger number of children would be necessary.

Simon Blake, from the sexual health charity, Brook Advisory Centre, took issue with the idea that genes were the overriding factor in early sex.

He said: “We know from research that factors associated with young people having first intercourse at a younger age are: lower educational achievements; friends and the media being the main source of information about sex education; socio-economic status; early sexual experience and the earlier age at which girls start their periods.

“All young people need access to confidential sexual health services as well as high quality education about sex and relationships from a young age.

“This gives them the skills and information to make informed choices, and the self-esteem and aspirations for themselves for the future.

“Targeted outreach work is also an effective way of reaching those more vulnerable groups.”

Source: BBC News Online, 15 September 09

Please sign the petition that calls on governments to meet their commitments on sexual and reproductive health.

Here are some more blogs that we love covering the important sexual health related issues that are important to us all.

Brook

Although the title of this blog by Simon Blake is ‘Talking of Sex’, it’s more than just about sex and covers the wide range of feelings and emotions experienced by young people. The author says he is passionate about young people’s emotional and social development. In his profile, Blake says: “If we expect the best for young people they will expect the best for themselves, and in doing so we will make massive strides in improving their sexual and emotional health.”

Contraception Education

Contraception Education write and develop resources for sex education and relationships education, training professionals and young people in sexual health and safer sex issues. Here you will find details of their services and a round-up of their news and events from around the UK.

Scarleteen

Scarleteen provides “sex ed for the real world” and the blog covers plenty of relevant topics, such as dating, premature ejaculation, sexuality and abortion. The posts are written in a clear and accessible style, ideal for the target audience. The other sections of the site are just a click away, including a crisis hotline, ’sexpert advice’ and message boards.

Sex, Etc

This site promises to go “beyond the birds and the bees” with “sex education for the next generation”. It certainly seems to live up to the billing, with the use of embedded video clips in the blog, and posts discussing sexual references in the music of stars such as Jamie Foxx and Lady GaGa. The posts are well written in a discursive style and don’t waste words.

Need 2 Know Health

The sexual health section of www.need2know.co.uk offers comprehensive and well-presented facts and educational information. Thanks to the well-thought-out layout, visitors can immediately access details on HIV/AIDS, cervical cancer, the HPV vaccine and STIs. The key facts are clearly displayed in a box of ‘5 Things U Need2Know’.

NHS - Sexual Health

This is the section of the National Health Service’s website that deals with sexual health and there are masses of information here for anyone wanting to find out about using condoms, chlamydia testing, emergency contraception, HIV, abortion and getting help after sexual assault. There are plenty of resources and links, as well as videos and even quizzes.

Net Doctor

Here, www.netdoctor.co.uk presents all the news on sexual health and relationship issues. Sex and relationships are comprehensively covered in a specific section of the Net Doctor website. All the key points are discussed, with pages covering issues for men, women and couples respectively. Specific questions are answered and there are links to support groups.

About.com:Sexuality

This site covers just about every sexual health topic you can think of. All the basics are detailed, as well as sex myths, anatomy, sexual problems and complaints, STIs, safe sex and contraception. Every topic is thoroughly discussed, with multiple links for the user to follow on the subject in question.

Got A Teenager

This is a site where parents write their own blog entries to share their experiences of parenting a teenager. The idea is that they use their blog as an online diary where they can communicate with their social network, sharing experiences, suggestions, advice and friendly words. Needless to say, sexual health issues are covered.

FPA - Family Planning Association

This is the website of the Family Planning Association, whose mission is to help people in the United Kingdom make “informed choices about sex and to enjoy sexual health”. The site features current campaigns and the latest news, as well as a wealth of resources and advice on STIs, contraception, pregnancy and abortion.

Sexual Health Network

This is a US Sexual Health Network blog entitled ‘Sex and Meaning’. The posts offer a round-up and commentary on sexual health stories hitting the headlines. The source of the material is Dr. Marty Klein’s ‘Sexual Intelligence’ website and newsletter and there is a political and campaigning nature to some of the posts, as you might guess by titles such as ‘Bush’s Parting Shot–Aimed At Your Sexual Health’ and ‘Dear President Obama…’

Please sign the petition that calls on governments to meet their commitments on sexual and reproductive health.

The first study of global patterns of death among people aged between 10-24 years of age has found that road traffic accidents, complications during pregnancy and child birth, suicide, violence, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB) are the major causes of mortality. Most causes of death of young people are preventable and treatable. The study, which was supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and published in The Lancet medical journal, found that 2.6 million young people are dying each year, with 97% of these deaths taking place in low- and middle-income countries.

There are more young people in the world today than ever before — 1.8 billion, accounting for 30% of the world’s population. Until now, there has been very little information available on the causes of death among young people globally and by region. This study is intended to inform the development of policies and programmes to ensure that they improve the lives, and prevent the deaths, of young people.

Daisy Mafubelu, WHO’s Assistant Director-General for Family and Community Health, said: “Young people are transitioning from childhood to adulthood - at the threshold of becoming productive members of society - yet they often fall through the cracks. It is clear from these findings that considerable investment is needed - not only from the health sector, but also from sectors including education, welfare, transport, and justice - to improve access to information and services, and help young people avoid risky behaviours that can lead to death.”

WHO recommends the following interventions to promote safe behaviours, improve health and prevent deaths among young people:

- Road traffic accidents can be prevented through speed management (for example, creating low-speed zones in urban settings, setting speed limits according to road type); strictly enforcing drink-driving laws that limit blood alcohol concentration to 0.05 g/dl with lower limits for young or novice drivers); increasing the wearing of good quality helmets, and increasing the use of seat-belts.

- Sexual and reproductive health can be improved by ensuring that young people receive sexuality education, have access to condoms and other contraceptives, safe abortion to the full extent of the law, antenatal and obstetric care, HIV testing and counselling, and HIV/AIDS care and treatment.

- Violence and suicide can be prevented by ensuring that young people have access to life skills training; promoting positive parental involvement in the lives of young people, reducing the use of alcohol by young people, and reducing their access to lethal means (including firearms, knives, pesticides and sedatives).

- The immediate and long-term consequences of injuries and violence can be significantly reduced by improving access to effective community-level care and emergency medical care, and providing treatment and support for young people exposed to child abuse, youth violence, and sexual assault.

Source: MediLexicon, 12 September 2009

Governments fail to provide access to contraceptives or sex education, says new IPPF survey. Please sign the petition that calls on governments to meet their commitments on sexual and reproductive health.

A global survey of young people from 130 countries around the world has revealed that one in four young people does not have access to affordable contraceptives, such as condoms or the pill, although many are already sexually active.

The survey, launched by the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), reveals many more damning statistics about access to contraception and sexual health services.

The findings indicate that one in three young people fails to receive adequate sex education, and as a result, risks exposure to sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, and unwanted pregnancy. Less than two per cent of respondents receive sexual health information from a medical professional, leaving more than 65 per cent relying on friends or the media for their sexual health information

The largest cohort of young people the world has ever seen, nearly two billion, are demanding that their governments provide better contraceptive and sexual health services, and fully invest in young people’s health and well-being.

Contraceptive demand is estimated to increase by 40 per cent by 2050, yet governments around the world are already failing to meet the need for contraception. More than 200 million women are already unable to access contraceptives and prevent pregnancy.

More than 90 per cent of those surveyed believe that their governments could be doing more to improve access to affordable contraception and other services. The failure of governments to meet the sex education and sex health needs of young people will have potentially severe consequences for both the health and well-being of millions of people and the planet they live on.

Alarmingly, the survey also found:

* A quarter (28 per cent) of respondents received their sexual health information from friends.

* For 37 per cent of those surveyed said the media was the primary source of sexual health information.

* Only half (53 per cent) knew whether their governments provided abortion services or emergency contraception.

Meeting the current and future need for contraception and family planning will contribute to individual health and well-being, healthy sustainable families and communities, and a healthier, more sustainable planet. Ensuring people are able to plan their families will make a major contribution to adaptation strategies for combating climate change, especially in poor countries with high rates of population growth that will be most severely impacted by climate change.

Countries with least resources are least able to manage the impact of the links between rapid population growth, environmental degradation, climate change, equitable access to resources and social and economic development.

Dr. Gill Greer, Director General of IPPF warned, “15 years ago at the landmark International Conference on Population Development in Cairo 179 governments committed to provide better access to sexual health services and family planning. Meeting these needs for young people is a major challenge, but one that governments must face up to; the consequences of failure for the health and well-being of millions will be devastating. Everyone has a right to be able to plan their families by choice not chance, and free from coercion; when women are aware of the benefits of family planning and have access to contraception, they invariably choose more for their children rather than more children.

“A renewed focus on voluntary family planning and contraception around the world would do much to meet the needs and desires of millions of individuals to plan their families and improve their health and well-being. This is one of the great social justice issues of our time.”

The report comes as IPPF prepares to deliver a petition to the United Nations as part of their 15andCounting campaign. The campaign is asking people all over the world to sign the “Count Me In: Sexual Rights for All” petition to demand better access to sexual health services and education for everyone.

To sign the petition and find out more about the campaign visit www.15andcounting.org

Please sign the petition that calls on governments to meet their commitments on sexual and reproductive health.

We thought we’d share with you some of the blogs we love that cover a range of issues including women’s rights, sexual health, sex education and contraception.

Women’s Health Base

Women’s Health Base is a blog by Hannah Flynn, a freelance journalist specialising in science. The author describes herself as “a former biologist and current feminist” and she covers the subjects of contraception, pregnancy, gynecological cancers, breast cancer, screening programmes, sexual health and education. There is also a series of “featurettes” entitled “Behind the label” which look at gaps in knowledge and controversies surrounding modern contraception.

The Women’s Sexual Health Foundation

The Women’s Sexual Health Foundation Blog offers “personal and provocative views on today’s women’s health trends, research, and news”. The Women’s Sexual Health Foundation is an international non-profit foundation whose mission is to “educate women and healthcare providers on women’s sexual health difficulties, particularly medical conditions that may impact sexual health and intimacy”. Among the posts are news and updates on the latest sexual health issues, as well as surveys and contributions from guest bloggers.

The Pleasure Project

The Pleasure Project claims to put the “the sexy into safer sex”. It is an educational, advocacy and research initiative that “promotes safer sex that feels good”. The organisation works with NGOs and public health centres, erotic media producers, journalists and media outlets, aiming to “make sex safer by addressing one of the major reasons people have sex: the pursuit of pleasure”. The Pleasure Project blog posts discuss subjects such as condom design and sex toys, as well as news on sexual health conferences and campaigns.

Below the Waist

BelowtheWaist.org is an online community for those interested in protecting and promoting reproductive health care. It offers people and organisations opportunities for social networking, commenting, learning and sharing ideas. Topics include abstinence, birth control, cervical cancer, sex education and STIs. Claiming to “protect, inform and advocate reproductive health freedom”, the site features regular podcasts, news on sexual health and birth control issues as well as comment and opinion.

Reproductive Rights Blog

The Reproductive Rights Blog, as the name suggest, has a campaigning and political tone, covering news on women’s issues. The categories which the posts fall under include ‘current affairs’, ‘elections’. ‘legislation’, ‘religion’, ‘reproductive technology’, ‘women’ and ‘work’. The blog features a monthly round-up of news on relevant subjects, from America and across the globe, as well as opinion and readers’ comments.

Our Bodies Ourselves

This is the blog of the OBOS, which stands for Our Bodies Ourselves, a nonprofit, public interest women’s health education, advocacy, and consulting organisation. OBOS offers research-based information about women’s health and sexuality and claims to “advance health and human rights within a framework of values shaped by women’s voices and a commitment to self-determination and equality”. The blog provides daily news and analysis on women’s health and related issues.

Women’s Health News

This blog offers women’s health news, politics, information and resources. It’s managed by Rachel Walden, a medical librarian from Nashville in the States. She says: “I think a lot of women are underinformed about their bodies, their health, and the policies affecting their health choices, and I hope to use this blog to provide a source of information about those topics.” The posts are presented in an informal, accessible style.

Akimbo

This is the blog of the IWHC, the International Women’s Health Coalition. The organisation aims to create a world “where women are free from discrimination, sexual coercion and violence, and have access to health services and information” by helping to develop effective health and population policies, programmes, and funding. The blog contains perspectives on world events and policies affecting women’s health and rights, and daily reactions to what’s happening in reproductive health and sexual rights across the globe.

Dr Petra Boynton

This is a sex and relationship blog by Dr Petra Boynton, who describes herself as a “sex educator, agony aunt and academic”. Dr Boynton is a lecturer for International Health Services Research at a London university where she teaches doctors, nurses and other health professionals at postgraduate level. Her research has covered many sexual health topics, including policy and practice in sex education and modernising sexual health services. The blog posts are interesting, opinionated and varied, with good use of embedded videos.

The Women’s Rights Blog

According to the author, this blog was created in order to “bring into consciousness the sad reality of women’s rights around the world in the 21st century”. The blog is a collection of news and information on women’s rights from a wide variety of sources. Readers are invited to comment on the stories and share them around. The campaigning nature of the blog is borne out by its dedication “to all the women out there, with a hope for a better future”.

We hope that you love these blogs as much as us and if you have any favourite blogs of your own please contact us with the details. Please don’t forget to sign the petition.

Half a million women die in childbirth each year, the majority in poor nations. An estimated 80% of these deaths are preventable. Please sign the petition that calls on governments to meet their commitments on sexual and reproductive health.

On a visit to East Timor I watched a young mother give birth after she had walked hours to medical care. Just a few hours later, she had no alternative but to take her baby and set out on the long walk home.

If she had suffered an infection or hemorrhaging, she would have, most likely, died on the road. I don’t know if she made it home or not.

In Papua New Guinea’s western province there is a very basic, two-bed maternity clinic. There is no ambulance, so mothers have to walk hours to get to the clinic. They often do it while they are in labour. There is no running water, so while walking, the women have to carry two buckets of water to be used in the delivery of their own babies.

If you stroll a few hundred metres from the clinic, you reach the coast. From there, you can see islands that are part of Australian territory. It is an appalling situation and even worse when you think how close to Australia it is occurring.

The awful scenes described this week in the Sydney Morning Herald of a maternity ward that was decrepit, overcrowded and understaffed, is unfortunately the norm rather than the exception. And while the latest  figures on maternal deaths are shocking, they are not surprising.

For every 100,000 births, 733 women die. Compare that to here in Australia, where eight women die for every 100,000 births.

Papua New Guinea suffers among the worst rates of maternal deaths in our region. Yet tragically few Pacific countries are making progress in cutting death rates suffered by women in childbirth. Women in East Timor, according to research by the United Nations Children’s Fund, face a lifetime risk of death during pregnancy or childbirth of one in 35.

Around the world, the maternal health picture is bleak. Of all the millennium development goals - the world’s blueprint for combating poverty - it is the goal of reducing maternal deaths that is the most off-track.

At worst, women in countries such as Niger and Afghanistan face a lifetime risk of death of one in seven. They run a deadly gauntlet just to have a family.

Some half a million women die in childbirth each year around the world. The deaths are almost entirely contained to poor nations. It is estimated up to 80 per cent of these death are preventable.

Why are we failing? Why are maternal death rates remaining stubbornly high?

A key reason for this is patriarchal. It is the ”dark little secret” of poverty today. We too often ignore the discrimination that goes on in communities directed against girls. It is the equivalent of the glass ceiling in industrialised countries, but in developing countries it is deadly.

Today the face of poverty is a woman or a girl.

They are the least likely to be in school, the most likely to miss out on food or medicine. It’s been tagged the ”Cinderella principle” - the girl in the family only gets to go to school or to get medical treatment after everyone else has been looked after.

Conversely, we know that development in poor communities is most successful when women are put at the centre of decision-making.

This patriarchal-entrenched discrimination is highlighted as a key factor in UNICEF’s research into why women die during pregnancy or childbirth.

Providing access to midwives and better obstetric care in developing nations is important - just as critical as providing education opportunities for girls, overcoming damaging cultural practices such as child marriage and giving women great opportunity to plan their families.

There is a responsibility on developing nations to put a much greater focus on tackling the incidence of maternal deaths. There must be concerted efforts to improve their health systems but they must also tackle the cultural issues that put girls at greater risk of falling pregnant at a young age.

To its credit. the Australian Government has put greater emphasis on maternal and early child health. The Government has typically spent about 12 per cent of the nation’s aid budget on health; it has moved to boost this to 16 per cent.

But globally more is needed. It is estimated donor countries need to ensure 15 per cent of their aid is spent on health if we are going to achieve the millennium development goals to halve poverty by 2015, including the goal of cutting the maternal mortality ratio by three quarters.

And more is needed to be done in Australia, too.

While the Government has boosted aid significantly in pledging to get aid spending to 0.5 per cent of gross national income by 2015, that target is still short of the United Nations goal of 0.7 per cent.

As the experience of Papua New Guinea demonstrates, it is not just about increasing aid funding, it is about ensuring we spend it better.

This must involve a focus on giving girls and women better opportunities to make decisions about their family, to have access to education and to avoid a life as second-class citizens.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald, 9, September 2009

Yes, 5. In parts of Indonesia they recognise more than male and female.

Please sign the petition that calls on governments to meet their commitments on sexual and reproductive health.