By: PATH
On the eve of the Women Deliver conference, our thoughts turn to the world’s mothers. At PATH, we’re dedicated to developing simple, affordable technologies to make sure becoming a mother is a time of joy the world over.
In some parts of the world—notably sub-Saharan Africa—childbirth remains an extremely dangerous time in a woman’s life. Some 300,000 women worldwide die each year just before or after delivery. Excessive obstetric bleeding—postpartum hemorrhage—causes 1 in 4 of these deaths. Read more...
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In the U.S. and Europe, the transmission of HIV/AIDS from mother to child has been virtually eradicated. Yet, worldwide approximately 900 children are newly infected with HIV every day; most of them in sub-Saharan Africa. Without intervention, 40% of pregnant women living with HIV are likely to pass the virus to their babies, and each year more than 
Girls and women in Liberia are successfully advocating for their rights in the face of pervasive gender-based violence. During Liberia’s 14-year civil war, 75% of girls and women were victims of rape and 90% experienced some form of physical or sexual violence. To combat this devastating legacy in post-conflict Liberia, the 
Sixteen-year old Aparna Bhola may be young, but she is also a confident, knowledgable teacher to the teenage girls that gather for her sex education class. She is a member of 
The past years have shown great promise for change in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and much of this change has been made for and led by women. The World Bank’s recent report, 
What would your life be like if you had to walk 3.7 miles each day for water and wait for the cover of darkness to relieve yourself? It’s hard to even imagine. Yet 
A study
For pregnant women in Nepal, calcium is an important part of prenatal care that can save both mothers’ and babies’ lives. But too many women in developing countries, including Nepal, can’t afford to buy the expensive calcium supplements they need to prevent conditions like pre-eclampsia that can have life-threatening complications. 
Muslims hold mothers in high esteem, not just for the burden they endure during pregnancy and childbirth, but also for the key role they play in families, communities and societies overall. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) himself taught the followers of Islam that “paradise lies at the feet of the mother,” ensuring mothers a special place in the religion.
The 
In India, like many places throughout the world, girls and women experience gender-based discrimination in areas such as education, job opportunities and even marriage options. Rural girls face an even greater degree of gender inequality. 
At the busiest maternity unit at the 
Using cell phones and text-message based literacy and numeracy training is helping Senegalese girls and women dramatically improve their ability to communicate with each other and their communities, according to an evaluation of a pilot program by Dakar, Senegal-based NGO 
Urunana, a Rwandan radio soap, is raising national sexual and reproductive health awareness by broadcasting health information weekly to approximately 10 million people. The engaging plots 
Around the world, there are currently about 
What do the Copper Canyon of Mexico’s Sierra Madre and Karnali Zone in Western Nepal have in common? Both are remote, rural areas where a trip to the doctor is an arduous journey and most women deliver their babies at home, alone. Thanks to 
Until the end of January, 
For too many women around the world, broken arms and bruised eyes are a part of daily life. Whether they are abused verbally or physically, by their husbands or even their mother-in-laws, these women live in constant fear and feel unable to escape.