17 million women per year give birth in health centers where they and newborns are at risk of infection and death.
17 million women per year give birth in health centers where they and newborns are at risk of infection and death.
Strong girls become strong women who raise strong children. Vaccines, nutrition, access to medicines, clean water, sanitation, and hygiene have impacts for generations to come.
No one should risk infection due to lack of toilets where they give birth and seek treatment. Because mothers giving birth and newborn babies are especially vulnerable to infection, the lack of WASH in healthcare facilities disproportionately affects women.
The What Women Want campaign asked 1.2 million women and girls from 114 countries what they want most in healthcare. The second-most popular demand? Clean water, sanitation, and hygiene in healthcare facilities.
After Teresa's first son almost died of diarrhea, she was determined to do things differently with her second son, Vusi. She learned about vaccines and water, sanitation, and hygiene from the health clinic.
A child born to a literate mother is 50% less likely to die before the age of 5.
According to the World Bank, encourage girls to earn a living and they’ll invest 90% of their income back into their families, more than twice as much as men.
The burden almost always falls to girls to collect water, even if they need to miss school. And looking for a private place to relieve herself leaves her vulnerable to attack.
WASH is as central to primary healthcare as immunization. We need both to prevent the spread of infections like diarrhea and COVID-19.