We petition that… We welcome the African Union’s decision to focus on maternal health during its July 2010 meeting in Kampala. Amnesty International’

We petition that…

We welcome the African Union’s decision to focus on maternal health during its July 2010 meeting in Kampala.

Amnesty International’s global ‘Demand Dignity’ campaign focuses on rights violations that underlie maternal mortality and morbidity. The vast majority of women who die from snags of pregnancy and childbirth are the poorest and marginalised and in most cases, their deaths avoidable.

We urge the AU to pay attention to the following crucial demands:

• Combat discrimination and end harmful practices, such as female genital mutilation and early marriage, that aggravate risks for women
• Improve access to sexual and reproductive health for all African women
• Address financial barriers and maternal healthcare quality for the poorest to avoid preventable deaths
• Reinforce accountability and monitoring to give people redress in case of violations

Respect women’s health right and reduce maternal mortality and morbidity in Africa. We count on you!
Sincerely,
The Undersigned