May 23rd- International Day to End Fistula

[PurgatoryOfPotholes]

Today, May 23rd, is the International Day To End Fistula

www.un.org/en/observances/end-fistula-day

Obstetric fistula

It’s a hole in the wall separating the vagina and rectum, or the vagina and urinary tract, usually caused by prolonged obstructed labour in childbirth. The pressure of the baby’s head cuts off the blood supply to vaginal tissue, and the tissue dies and disintegrates. In developed countries such as our own, a caesarean would usually be performed before this happened. It is also sometimes caused by sexual violence.

Physical symptoms may include faecal or urinary incontinence, repeated infections, pain during sex, skin damage from the continual flow, and potentially lower limb paralysis from the nerve damage caused by the leaking of urine or faeces.
The ramifications of this include complete social ostracization from their communities, on account of the odour.

Two million women today are living with the condition, and another 50,000 develop it each year.

As outlined above, it can be prevented if there are facilities to perform a caesarean section. Other than that, a major cause of obstetric fistulae is forced marriage of children and the resulting impregnation of girls who have not yet attained their full adult height. These girls’ immature pelvic bones are too narrow to allow the baby to pass through, with terrible consequences.

Obstetric fistulae are treatable- with reconstructive surgery. Unfortunately, the lack of medical care that meant it occurred in the first place also means women don’t have easy access to reconstructive surgery, either.

More details: www.unfpa.org/obstetric-fistula

organisations
www.freedomfromfistula.org.uk/
fistulafoundation.org/

Thanks for this information; I’m shocked at
My ignorance of this issue.

I worry about the impact COVID-19 will have on girls education across the globe. It is through education of girls that these issues will gradually be tackled.

@Helleofabore

These links are all great. Some are very hard to read. I remember reading about the goals being put in place over a decade ago. It does feel like it has been much harder to address than they expected.

But when you have UK males (even medical doctors) supporting underage marriage practices, because 'cultural', it also feels that it is being swept under the carpet.

Particularly shocking from a doctor, as the leading cause of death for females aged between 14 and 19 is pregnancy and childbirth complications. Whatever some people think about pregnancy being safer the younger you are, this is absolutely not the case.

The second-biggest is self-harm, which shows how unhappy girls are across the globe, "cultural" be damned.

Yes; there’s a U shaped curve for maternal mortality - both ends of the age distribution are associated with worse outcomes.

(well, I say that, it varies between countries so sometimes more of a J, but the principle stands)

The Fistula Foundation is great. And I like that they train surgeons already there, increasing capacity, rather than flying in foreigners.

@MrsTerryPratchett

The Fistula Foundation is great. And I like that they train surgeons already there, increasing capacity, rather than flying in foreigners.

Bump to let everyone know that the Fistula Foundation is on a shortlist of charities to win up to $50,000 dollars in prize money, because Peter Singer has won the2021 Berggruen Prizeand is giving away his entire US$1 million award to charity.

Peter plans to divide US$100,000 of the prize money amongst three of The Life You Can Save’s recommended charities based on a public vote. The winning charity with the most votes will receive US$50,000, the second place charity will receive US$30,000 and the third place charity will receive US$20,000.

Vote here for the Fistula Foundation!
www.thelifeyoucansave.org/berggruen-prize-vote/

Thanks for link. Any suggestions for 2nd and 3rd choices?

Ooh, that's a difficult one.

If you follow this link and scroll down to List of Best Charities and click on that, you'll get an outline of them all and what they do.

www.thelifeyoucansave.org/best-charities/

Sorry, it's view list of charities, and in red bold type.

Done

Thanks so much for highlighting this PurgatoryOfPotholes. Tough choice for 2nd and 3rd place as so many worthy causes!

done, thanks Pots. Always so hard to choose between all of the things that need doing.

Thank you. Also voted.

Voted 👍

Voted and bump

Voted.

Voted

Thanks for the heads up on that, OP.

Bump!

Voted. And bump for the weekend.

Thank you for this, have voted and tweeted the link.

done and bumped. Great charity

The Votes are In!

After thousands of votes were cast, we are pleased to announce the three charities that received the most votes:

Fistula Foundation, a global leader in treating obstetric fistula — a devastating childbirth injury that leaves women incontinent, humiliated and often shunned by their communities — received the most votes and will receive US$50,000.

The Seva Foundation, a global nonprofit eye care organization that transforms lives and strengthens communities by restoring sight and preventing blindness, came second and will receive US$30,000.

GiveDirectly — a nonprofit that provides unconditional cash transfers using cell phone technology to some of the world’s poorest people, as well as refugees, urban youth and disaster victims — was third and will receive US$20,000.

Link to newsletter

Well done FWR. I'm sure our votes helped the Fistula Foundation. ♥️

DELIGHTED!

Am so pleased that fistula is very rare here, and that the women who do develop one can have excellent care.

Am pleased that the FFF gets 50k. They'll spend it well.

God love the women who will benefit from it.

Good! The runners up look like good causes too, at least one of them was also in my top 3.