Reality

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Countries where it is an issue

Nigeria 

About 12,000 New Cases Of Obstetric Fistula Occur Every Year.  Watch on YouTube

UN Reports

Reports of the Secretary General

Summary

The present report has been prepared pursuant to General Assembly resolution 75/159. Obstetric fistula is a devastating childbirth injury that leaves women and girls incontinent, stigmatized and isolated from their families and communities. It is a development, public health and human rights issue; a stark outcome of gender and socioeconomic inequalities, a denial of human rights and an indicator of poor quality of care. It signifies the failure of health systems to provide high-quality sexual, reproductive, maternal and newborn health care and services. Climate change and obstacles presented by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic exacerbate the root causes of fistula. Addressing structural barriers and inherent biases and increasing the levels and predictability of funding are crucial to ending obstetric fistula and to ensuring that no one is left behind. Ending obstetric fistula is an integral component of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The present report contains an outline of efforts made at the global, regional and national levels to end this tragedy and recommendations to intensify those efforts, using a human rights-based approach, so as to end fistula by 2030.

Read the full Secretary Generals report 2022 by clicking here (A/77/229).

Summary

The present report has been prepared in response to General Assembly resolution 73/147. Obstetric fistula is a devastating childbirth injury that leaves women and girls incontinent and often stigmatized and isolated from their families and communities. It is a stark outcome of gender and socioeconomic inequalities, the denial of human rights and poor access to sexual and reproductive health services, including quality maternal and newborn health care, and an indication of the failure of health systems to provide quality sexual, reproductive and maternal health services. This outcome is likely to be exacerbated in crisis situations. Improving maternal health, strengthening health systems, enhancing the quality of care, reducing health inequities and increasing the levels and predictability of funding are crucial to ensure that no one is left behind.

The present report outlines efforts made by the international community at the global, regional and national levels to end obstetric fistula (as a development, public health and human rights priority) and offers recommendations to intensify those efforts, using a human rights-based approach, so as to end obstetric fistula within a decade. Ending obstetric fistula is an integral component of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

Read the full Secretary Generals report 2020 by clicking here (A/75/264).

Summary

The present report has been prepared in response to General Assembly resolution 71/169. Obstetric fistula is a devastating childbirth injury that leaves women and girls incontinent and often stigmatized and isolated from their families and communities. It is a stark outcome of gender inequalities, the denial of human rights and poor access to sexual and reproductive health services, including maternal and newborn care, and an indication of high levels of  maternal death and disability. The report outlines efforts made by the international community at the global, regional and national levels to end obstetric fistula and offers  recommendations to intensify those efforts, with a human rights-based approach, so as to end obstetric fistula within a generation. Ending fistula is an integral component of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Improving maternal health, strengthening health systems, reducing health inequities and increasing the level and predictability of funding are crucial to ensure no one is left behind.

Read the full Secretary Generals report 2018 by clicking here (A/73/285).

Summary

The present report has been prepared in response to General Assembly resolution 69/148. Obstetric fistula is a devastating childbirth injury that leaves women and girls incontinent and often stigmatized and isolated from their families and communities. It is a stark outcome of gender inequalities, the denial of human rights and poor access to reproductive health services, including maternal and newborn care, and an indication of high levels of maternal death and disability. The report outlines efforts made by the international community at the global, regional and national levels to end obstetric fistula. It offers recommendations to intensify those efforts, with a human rights based approach, so as to end obstetric fistula within a generation, as an integral component of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 and leaving no one behind, by improving maternal health, strengthening health systems, reducing health inequities and increasing the levels and predictability of funding.

Read the full Secretary Generals report 2016 by clicking here (A/71/306).

Summary

The present report has been prepared in response to General Assembly resolution 67/147 . Obstetric fistula is a devastating childbirth injury that leaves women incontinent and often stigmatized and isolated from their families and communities. It is a stark outcome of gender inequalities, human rights denial and poor access to reproductive health services, including maternal and newborn care, and an indication of high levels of maternal death and disability. The report outlines efforts made by countries at the global, regional and national levels, and by the United Nations system, to end obstetric fistula. It offers recommendations to intensify these efforts, within a human rights based approach, to end obstetric fistula in the days remaining for the achievement of Millennium Development Goal 5 and beyond, by improving maternal health, strengthening  health systems, reducing health inequities and increasing the levels and predictability of funding.

Read the full Secretary Generals report 2014 by clicking here (A/69/256).

Summary

This report is prepared in response to General Assembly resolution 65/188. Obstetric fistula is a devastating childbirth injury that leaves women incontinent, often stigmatized, and isolated from their communities. It is a stark outcome of socioeconomic and gender inequalities, human rights denial and poor access to reproductive health services, including maternal and newborn care, and an indication of high levels of maternal death and disability. The report outlines efforts made at the international, regional and national levels, and by the United Nations system, to end obstetric fistula. It offers recommendations to intensify these efforts, within a human rights-based approach, to end obstetric fistula as a key step towards achieving Millennium Development Goal 5, by improving maternal health, strengthening health systems, reducing health inequities, and increasing the levels and predictability of funding.

Read the full Secretary Generals report 2012 by clicking here (A/67/258).

Summary

The present report was prepared in response to General Assembly resolution 63/158. Obstetric fistula is a devastating childbirth injury that leaves women incontinent and often isolated from their communities. It is a stark example of continued poor maternal and reproductive health services and an indication of high levels of maternal death and disability. The report outlines the efforts made at the international, regional and national levels, including by the United Nations system, to end obstetric fistula. It concludes with recommendations that efforts to end obstetric fistula be intensified as part of support for the achievement of Millennium

Development Goal 5, on improving maternal health, including the strengthening of health-care systems and increasing the levels and predictability of funding.

Read the full Secretary Generals report 2010 by clicking here (A/65/268).

Summary

The present report was prepared in response to General Assembly resolution 62/138. Obstetric fistula is a devastating childbirth injury that leaves women incontinent and often isolated from their communities. It is a stark example of continued poor maternal and reproductive health services and an indication of high levels of maternal death and disability. The report outlines efforts to end obstetric fistula at international, regional and national levels, including by the United Nations system. It concludes with recommendations to intensify efforts to end obstetric fistula as part of support to the achievement of Millennium Development Goal 5, including strengthening health systems and increasing levels and predictability of funding.

Read the full Secretary Generals report 2008 by clicking here (A/63/222).

General Assembly Resolutions

Intensification of efforts to end obstetric fistula : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

A/RES/77/196 | 2022-12-15 | Resolutions and Decisions.


Intensification of efforts to end obstetric fistula : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

A/RES/75/159 | 2020-12-16 | Resolutions and Decisions.


 Intensification of efforts to end obstetric fistula : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

A/RES/73/147 | 2018-12-17 | Resolutions and Decisions.

 

Intensification of efforts to end obstetric fistula : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

A/RES/71/169 | 2016-12-19 | Resolutions and Decisions.


Intensification of efforts to end obstetric fistula : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

A/RES/69/148 | 2014-12-18 | Resolutions and Decisions.

 

Supporting efforts to end obstetric fistula : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

A/RES/67/147 | 2012-12-20 | Resolutions and Decisions.


Supporting efforts to end obstetric fistula : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

A/RES/65/188 | 2010-12-21 | Resolutions and Decisions.


Supporting efforts to end obstetric fistula : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

A/RES/63/158 | 2008-12-18 | Resolutions and Decisions.


Supporting efforts to end obstetric fistula : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

A/RES/62/138 | 2007-12-18 | Resolutions and Decisions.


The girl child : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

A/RES/66/140 | 2011-12-19 | Resolutions and Decisions.

 

The girl child : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

A/RES/64/145 | 2009-12-18 | Resolutions and Decisions.


The girl child : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

A/RES/62/140 | 2007-12-18 | Resolutions and Decisions.


Rights of the child : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

A/RES/61/146 | 2006-12-19 | Resolutions and Decisions

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