Basic healthcare is essential for all families.
Every day, about 800 women die from preventable causes related to childbirth. And maternal health as well as global health problems are exacerbated by poverty, poor access to healthcare, and infrastructure.
CARE works to provide positive health outcomes for women and girls by strengthening local health systems and community organisations, increasing access to quality health services, and preparing and responding to public health emergencies by leveraging our long-term relationships with governments, frontline workers, and communities.
Fast Facts
One in two women who dies during pregnancy or childbirth is in a conflict area.
In Sudan, women and girls make up the majority of the more than 8.5 million forcibly displaced from conflict, and around 150,000 pregnant women cannot access proper care.
Maternal mortality is more than 40 times higher in fragile contexts than it is in developing countries.
Impact stories
Yasmeen in Gaza
Baher and Yasmeen are a couple from Gaza who found out they were pregnant after nine years of trying just before the war broke out. Their IVF treatment succeeded upon their third try, and they welcomed their triplets during the war.
The couple had to travel south of the Gaza Strip for Yasmeen to receive a C-section as their hospital was unable to accommodate caesarean deliveries due to the breakdown of many essential healthcare services.
Unfortunately, their babies were born premature and needed special medical care and close monitoring.
“God blessed me with triplets, a boy and two girls, but they were in poor health due to their premature birth,” Yasmeen told us.
Mothers are often disproportionately affected by conflict, and CARE has been working to support the women, children and families that are most impacted by this. Our maternal health programming includes training female health workers on maternal care and emergency obstetrics, and funding health clinics in conflict areas with obstetric medical supplies so that women can safely deliver their babies. We also work to provide kits of essential supplies to pregnant women for birth and postnatal care, so that mother and baby have everything they need for the first few days.
CARE International’s Palestinian partner in Gaza, Juzoor, has set up clinics offering ante and post-natal care, and mobilised volunteers from its network of midwives to assist vulnerable women to deliver births safely in their shelters with specialised equipment. CARE has also distributed 5,500 Baby Kits, containing essential products such as baby clothes and sterilising wipes for pregnant mothers, many of whom have lost everything.
