The fundamental right for respectful, high quality health care should extend beyond the perinatal period to accommodate women throughout their lifespan. The intersectionality of race, gender, class and access to health care must be considered to ensure that every woman in the United States has the healthy pregnancy and birth to which she is entitled. As we celebrate and push for an International Day for Maternal Health and Rights, let’s remember that the fight for the right to health and equality begins outside the labor and delivery room. In the land of plenty, we can do better…read more
Addressing Disparities in the U.S. for Maternal Health and Rights
Posted onWhile much global attention has focused on the 99% of maternal deaths that occur in low- and middle-income countries, the U.S. is one of the few countries where the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) has actually risen over the past decade. More troubling are the inconsistencies between ethnic and socioeconomic populations. According to Amnesty International, an African-American woman is nearly four times as likely to die as a white woman during birth… read more
Call for Posts: How a Woman-Centered Agenda Can Make Universal Health Coverage More Than a Mantra
Posted onAs momentum builds towards the unveiling of the post-2015 agenda, the global health community has its eye on universal health coverage (UHC) as a priority for operationalizing the sustainable development goals (SDGs). The issue at hand is not whether UHC is achievable, but is ensuring that UHC researchers, implementers, and policy-makers collaborate to provide rich evidence to improve and ensure quality health care for all. In order to facilitate this collaboration, the Maternal Health Task Force (MHTF) and USAID|TRAction hosted the session, Woman-Centered Care as the Engine for Universal Health Coverage, at the Third Global Symposium on Health Systems Research in Cape Town, South Africa on September 30, 2014.
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