Increasingly, persistent high rates of maternal mortality are being recognized as violations of women's right to life and health. This designation raises maternal mortality from being one of a long list of technical challenges for health service delivery systems, and poses it firmly as a legal and moral problem that governments and health providers must address. The Averting Maternal Death and Disability Program at Columbia University is working with its partners to improve access to and the quality of emergency obstetric services at health facilities at the district and sub-district level. AMDD is developing a unique approach to integrating the human rights issue into concrete, practical project activities. At the program level, AMDD is seeking to have the UN Process Indicators adopted as formal tools to be used by countries when they report to the UN monitoring bodies on their progress in implementing the women's rights convention (CEDAW), such as showing progress on the availability of hospitals and health centers providing life-saving care for women with obstetric complications. At the project level, through its partners, AMDD is seeking creative ways to increase community involvement in maternal mortality programs, not just in the village, but at the health facility as well.
Learning Objectives: By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to recognize how a human rights approach can be incorporated into health program activities, such as those designed to improve emergency obstetric care at health facilities.
Keywords: Safe Mother Program, Human Rights
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.