Not every birth is a time of comfort and joy. Actress Emily Watson (Chernobyl, Apple Tree Yard) is encouraging people to donate to Maternity Worldwide this Christmas, after first supporting us as her chosen charity on the BBC Radio 4 Appeal in 2018.
Emily says:
‘To me, Christmas means catching up with family and making time to enjoy each other’s company. Too many children in low-income countries will be without their mother this Christmas because of needless deaths in childbirth and the inability to access the standard of medical care we take for granted in the UK. Since 2002, Maternity Worldwide has been working to ensure that every woman, regardless of where she lives, can give birth safely and without fear. I would like to encourage you to donate to the Maternity Worldwide Christmas appeal, and help them continue to save lives in childbirth.’
‘As a mother, I am deeply concerned that in countries like Malawi, Ethiopia and Uganda pregnancy and childbirth are putting women’s lives at risk.’
‘There are still so many women who don’t have facilities close at hand. Maternity Worldwide needs your support to help save more lives.’
Every year 287,000 women die in childbirth. 99% of reported deaths are in low-income countries. Many women die after long, dangerous journeys, trying to give birth in makeshift buildings without the help of a midwife, and with no pain relief, antibiotics or proper sanitation. A modern-day stable in the UK may in fact be a warmer, safer and more comfortable place to deliver a baby than some of the facilities in sub-Saharan Africa.
Most deaths can be avoided easily and cheaply through measures which are readily available in the UK. But good quality healthcare for many of the world’s women is still beyond their financial reach or simply inaccessible because facilities are too far away.
This year, you can buy one of our exclusive Christmas Gift Certificates from our online shop for only £27. Not only will it help women and girls in low-income countries access the high-quality maternal healthcare they need to be able to give birth safely, but it makes a fantastic, sustainable stocking filler.
