This Mother’s Day 1500 women will die from complications relating to pregnancy and childbirth but there is a way to help, international aid agency Oxfam Australia said today.
Oxfam Humanitarian Advocacy Coordinator Steph Cousins said that most of these deaths could be prevented.
“Every year over half a million women die in developing countries from complications during pregnancy and childbirth,” Ms Cousins said.
“Oxfam works with women to provide them with pre-natal care and birth attendants with the right training and equipment so that they can deliver safely.
“We also provide girls with opportunities and empowerment, as women with secondary education on average have fewer children and have them in safer conditions,” Ms Cousins said.
Oxfam Australia’s donation catalogue Oxfam Unwrapped allows people to give their mums a Mother’s Day card that also supports women around the world.
The cards include ‘Mother and Baby’, priced at $55, which helps train community members in Cambodia teach mums-to-be how to take care of themselves during pregnancy and care for their newborn babies.
Oxfam Australia also assists the poorest women and families in Cambodia to access health centres and hospitals in times of need.
Also on offer is the ‘Midwife essentials’ card, priced at $35, which helps Oxfam provide training and supplies to midwife volunteers in Laos.
This training includes technical help to support pregnant women, delivery and post-delivery practices, as well as instructions on how to use obstetric instruments.
The midwife volunteers can then share knowledge with other women, which will help reduce infant and maternal mortality in their communities.
Ms Cousins said the Oxfam Unwrapped gift cards were a popular choice on Mothers’ Day.
“Through Oxfam Unwrapped you can give your Mum a beautiful card while also helping other women experience the joy of motherhood,” Ms Cousins said.
“Oxfam Unwrapped is a wonderful way that women in Australia can connect with women in developing world,” Ms Cousins said.
The cards are available at Oxfam shops around the country, and e-cards can be sent from www.oxfamunwrapped.com.au
For interviews, high-res images of the gifts or more information contact Oxfam Australia Media Coordinator Sunita Bose on 0407 555 960.
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