Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has highlighted the devastating toll of preventable maternal deaths in conflict and crisis-affected regions, calling for urgent action to address what she describes as a hidden genocide. In a recent article, Ardern recalled how a friend’s message—'Women give birth during war'—shifted her perspective during her own struggles with motherhood while leading the country.
Ardern noted that globally, postpartum haemorrhaging (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal death, with the World Health Organization estimating 14 million women affected annually. While deaths from PPH have been nearly eliminated in high-income countries, 70,000 women still die each year worldwide—one every 7.5 minutes. More than half of these deaths occur in 25 countries currently appealing for humanitarian aid, including South Sudan, where the maternal mortality rate exceeds 1,200 per 100,000 live births.
To combat this, the International Rescue Committee has launched the Safer Births in Crises partnership, bringing together organisations such as the International Medical Corps and the UN Population Fund to deliver low-cost, evidence-based solutions for preventing and treating PPH. A recent study, involving over 200,000 women in four countries, found that using a simple collection device called a 'drape' and bundling treatments dramatically reduced deaths.
The initiative will begin in South Sudan and Burkina Faso, with plans to adapt solutions for countries like Papua New Guinea, which face increasing risks from extreme weather. The Matariki Fund for Women has pledged $4 million to support the consortium, aiming to save thousands of lives annually. Ardern emphasised that these deaths are preventable and called for greater focus on crisis settings where help is urgently needed.
