Born without Water: The Crisis in Our Delivery Rooms

Every two seconds, a woman gives birth in a healthcare facility without clean water, decent toilets or good hygiene. In places meant to protect life, unsafe conditions are instead driving deadly infections and indignity. Drawing on new analysis from 16 countries, a new report from WaterAid reveals the shocking state of under-resourced maternity wards in Africa and Asia. Women interviewed for this report consistently linked clean water to safety, decent toilets to dignity, and handwashing to protection. Without these basic services, they do not feel safe or respected at one of the most critical moments of their lives. Their testimonies reinforce what the evidence shows: maternity facilities without water, sanitation and hygiene undermine women’s dignity, discourage families from seeking care, and expose mothers, babies, and their health workers – most of whom are women – to preventable risk. Click here for a summary of the report’s findings. For access to the full report click here. (The report is also available en français.)