New Delhi, March 7 Maternal mortality ratio (MMR) -- deaths due to complications from childbirth or pregnancy per 1 lakh live births -- has declined significantly in South-East Asia, including India, said World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday, ahead of the International Women’s Day.
International Women’s Day is marked annually on March 8 to raise awareness of the issues impacting women all over the world. MMR includes any maternal death that happens immediately or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, whether through childbirth, abortion, or miscarriage.
“MMR has declined significantly -- between 2010 to 2020, a 41 per cent decline in the region versus a 12 per cent decline globally,” said Saima Wazed, Regional Director for WHO South-East Asia.
“In fact, our region is on track to achieve the SDG target on MMR by 2030,” she added.
Notably, India has reduced MMR by an impressive 70 per cent between 2000 and 2020. The country’s MMR fell precipitously by 82.5 per cent between 1990 and 2020. The MMR under the UN-mandated Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for 2030 is 70.
Further, Wazed also noted improvements in women’s labour force participation.
“In our South-East Asia region, the gender gap in women’s labour force participation has narrowed in most countries,” she said. In the past decades, the total fertility rate has decreased for most of the countries in the region.
However, Wazed also raised concerns over gender inequality and sexual violence against women in the SE Asia region.
“In our region, all countries rank high on the global Gender Inequality Index. Nearly 40 per cent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime,” said Wazed.
“This aggravates the risks of communicable diseases like HIV and STI, along with mental health challenges,” the Regional Director said.
The theme of Women’s day this year is “For all women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment”.
“It calls for actions to unlock equal rights, power, and opportunities for all women and girls, for a future where no one is left behind,” said Wazed, noting that “empowering youth, particularly young women and adolescent girls is central to this vision”.
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