Securing Women's Rights & Health Needs in Haiti

In the Huffington Post, Berlotte Israel and Margaret Satterthwaite discuss the need for empowering women through the country's rebuilding phase. Gender-based violence, high rates of pregnancy complication, and limited access to education are stark and troubling realities prior to and in the aftermath of this disaster. While meeting the immediate needs of safety and shelter, government officials and donor countries must also secure improved maternal health and equal access to education. To read this article, please click here.

Haiti has the highest fertility rate in the Western Hemisphere. Only 40% of the population had access to basic healthcare before the earthquake. Half of all deaths were caused by AIDS, respiratory diseases, meningitis and diarrheal diseases. 90% of children suffer from waterborne diseases and intestinal parasites.

Project Medishare is working to fully equip a new Maternal Health Center in Marmont. According to the Project Medishare blog, "When the maternal health center becomes fully operational it will be open 24/7 and will have trained staff available and living in the connecting residence. The center will focus on providing the full package of women's health services, including reproductive health education and services, family planning, HIV/AIDS counseling and testing, and prevention of mother to child transmission (PTME)."