Maternal mortality and GBV in the Pacific

“According to Lancet statistics, the maternal mortality ratio for Oceania (here defined as nine Pacific Island states including PNG, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu) is 494 per 100,000 live births. Put in context, a woman in the Pacific is three times more likely than a woman in South East Asia to die in childbirth. The lifetime risk of dying in childbirth is higher in PNG, at 1 in 120, than in India, one of the top three countries with the highest absolute burden of maternal mortality in the world, where the risk is 1 in 190.

Given the high levels of both gender-based violence and maternal mortality in the Pacific region, particularly the Melanesian countries, there is an opportunity here for those working in gender-based violence prevention and health to collaboratively lead the way in tackling the social norms that are key drivers of both of these negative outcomes for women.”

Read this Development Policy Centre blog post written in response to World Vision’s report, Getting to Zero, on maternal mortality.