Updates

By: Mariko Rasmussen, Communications Specialist at Women Deliver

In Guatemala, young indigenous girls living in rural areas often do not have a chance to go to school. Instead, they help their families, living in social isolation and sometimes chronic poverty. They often marry young and have many children – the country’s fertility rates are among the highest in Latin America, with each woman bearing an average of 4.4 children over her lifetime. These indigenous girls have limited access to basic services such as water, sanitation, passable roads, and health care. To help break the cycle and enable these girls to reach their full potential, the Population Council, in collaboration with other partners, launched a program called Abriendo Oportunidades (Creating Opportunities) in 2004. Read more...

By: Madeline Taskier, Partnership Coordinator at Women Deliver

The Southeast Asian country of Cambodia borders the South China Sea and is surrounded by Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos. The maternal mortality ratio in 2008 was 290 deaths per 100,000 live births, but has been show to be as high as 493 deaths per 100,000 live births in rural areas.  Over the last decade, the Cambodian government has increased the availability of reproductive health services, but there is still great need for services among expecting mothers in rural areas. A national program is working to narrow the gaps in care, decrease the urban-rural disparities, and educate community-based health workers to provide lifesaving maternal care. Read more...

As we approach the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day (8 March 2011), we want to put a spotlight on the "Women Deliver 100: the most inspiring individuals delivering for women." This year marks 100 years of International Women's Day having been celebrated around the world. To celebrate this momentous occasion, Women Deliver is creating a list of advocates, activists, policymakers, artists, journalists, philanthropists, and overall change-makers who are truly “delivering for women.” Want to get in on the fun? Tell us your ideas of who should be added to the list by clicking through.