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The maternal death crisis hidden amid Ebola’s spread in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
ITURI PROVINCE, The Democratic Republic of the Congo – “My fear left me when I saw people dying in that camp,” said Francine Evhe, who works at a health centre in the Kigonze displacement camp in Bunia, in the…
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At schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a board game teaches young people the lessons of war, peace and unity
Bosnia and Herzegovina
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – In Foča, a small town in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Drina river winds through mountains that once hid the worst of a war. Although the conflict ended 30 years ago, many children still…
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“Women are in fear day and night”: Untold numbers suffer conflict-related sexual violence as crisis grips South Sudan
South Sudan
TIERGOL, Ethiopia – Nyajok*, a single mother of three young children, is from Akobo County in South Sudan’s Jonglei State. She fled the outbreak of violence in March and arrived across the border in Ethiopia, frightened…
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Dignity restored and lives regained through fistula repair in rural Bangladesh
Bangladesh
SHERPUR, Bangladesh — Banessa Bibi, now in her nineties, cannot remember how many children she brought into this world. She only recalls the three daughters and two sons who survived. In her village, childbirth once…
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Child marriage rising among refugees and host communities in South Sudan
South Sudan
UPPER NILE STATE, South Sudan — “I was married and had my first child at 14 years old,” said Betty*, who fled conflict in Sudan only to find further uncertainty in South Sudan. Along with more…
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"Kinder, stronger, more equal": Imagining a world where no mothers die
UNITED NATIONS, New York – “When a mother dies, a family does not only lose one person – it loses its centre,” Kindness Ngoh, a midwife in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, explained.
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“Every minute felt endless”: Pregnant women displaced in Lebanon carry life through crisis
Lebanon
SOUTHERN GOVERNORATES, Lebanon – At seven months pregnant, 26-year-old Rima* fled her home in southern Lebanon amid intense bombing. “We left suddenly, with only the clothes we were wearing,” she said. “There was no…
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The skilled midwife bringing comprehensive maternal healthcare to remote communities in Guatemala
Guatemala
ALTA VERAPAZ, Guatemala – For Estela Santiago, studying to become a professional midwife involved travelling six hours each week from her home in Nebaj to Huehuetenango, making several bus transfers along the way, all…
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Despite danger and upheaval, midwives help women deliver safely at Burundi’s Musenyi refugee camp
Burundi
Burunga Province, BURUNDI – “When I found out I was pregnant, I was very afraid because I knew giving birth was going to be dangerous for me,” said 36-year-old Maombi Kijijwa.
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Amid surge in conflict-related sexual violence, survivors are rebuilding their lives
Democratic Republic of the Congo
BENI, The Democratic Republic of the Congo – Women and girls in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have endured a dramatic surge in sexual violence over the last year, as armed groups ramp up their assault on…
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“Even during labour, I was afraid”: Women in the West Bank give birth under sirens, settler assaults and severe movement restrictions
Palestine, State of
WEST BANK, The Occupied Palestinian Territory – “Even during labour, I was afraid. I could hear sirens and kept thinking about my children,” said Haneen*, from the village of Ras Tira in the occupied West Bank. “Life…
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A race for rights: How sport helps to protect girls in Uganda from gender-based violence and female genital mutilation
Uganda
KAPCHORWA, Uganda – “As a female coach, the girls trust me,” said Zuena Cheptoek, an athletics coach in the town of Kapchorwa, in eastern Uganda. “They tell me things they can’t tell anyone else – about pressure to…
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