Maternal Mortality and Young Women’s Right to Life and Health in South Africa

Maternal mortality is a serious threat to women´s right to life and health in many developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. A high maternal mortality rate is recognized as an indication of shortcomings in the health system, gender inequalities, conflict and poverty, which affect women´s access to adequate sexual and reproductive health services in a negative way. This seminar will focus on maternal mortality in South Africa, especially among girls and young women. South Africa is characterized by extreme socio-economic divisions and is the country in Africa with the highest rate of HIV/AIDS-related maternal deaths.

The seminar will start with a lecture by Henriette Sinding Aasen (Professor at the Faculty of Law, UiB), followed by a conversation with Ingvild Sandøy (Associate Professor at the Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, UiB; and researcher at CISMAC and Centre for International Health) and Patrick Lombule (Center on Law and Social Transformation).

The seminar is a collaboration between the Center on Law and Social Transformation and the research project “Rights, Democracy and Welfare”.

Timeframe: 14:00-15:30