The social determinant of health that affects maternal mortality rates in Yemen is social exclusion. Social exclusion is when “…processes prevent people from participating in education or training and gaining access to services and citizenship activities.” (WHO 2003). This has caused a rise in maternal mortality rates because of the lack of attention the issue has been given due to the fact that it is women affected. The problem began stemmed from women’s lack of political rights, lack of education on the subject, and lack of money to pay for the resources that they need. These come from their social exclusion in the workforce and in the community.
To start off, the social exclusion of women in politics has left them without any rights to defend themselves with. Previous to the war women in Yemen were making great progress and gaining power, but when the government was overthrown it was them who suffered the greatest and lost the most rights (Ansbro 2017). This is a problem because this platform decides the laws that affect women and decide how healthcare is handled (Mackenbach 2014). These rights have allowed dangerous traditions such as child marriage to occur. When a child gets pregnant their bodies are not ready to give birth and they end up dying (Lindsay 2015). Since women haven’t been able to advocate this for themselves and their husbands have no respect for them and beat them even while pregnant the social exclusion has only made it worse. They have also not been able to make sure that the services needed like physicians, midwives, access to healthcare, and transportation is being provided and die from life threatening complications such as infection and bleeding (Serouri, et al 2012). Again, since this is not a problem man themselves are facing, they have not made it a priority to improve the healthcare women are receiving, therefore increasing the problem.
Secondly, lack of education on pregnancy and birthing as well as no income due to social exclusion has increased maternal mortality rates. Since from a political view this healthcare issue is not a priority, neither is the proper education for the mother. Most don’t see a proper doctor before giving birth or only see one once before. So, women end up giving birth at home and die because they aren’t educated on the subject enough to do it themselves (Serouri, et al 2012). Furthermore, 274 hospitals have been destroyed during the war and only 37 percent of them provide services for birthing and prenatal care (Ansbro 2017). Even if a woman can afford these services the chances of getting the proper help is slim. For women who cannot the outcomes are even worse. There is not enough food to provide for themselves and the baby. More so, families are losing husbands and fathers in the war, which are their only sources of income. This has left them completely vulnerable (Ansbro 2017). On the other hand, if you look at this lack of education and lack of income these would not have become problems had men in power allowed women the same rights as them.
To conclude, the social determinant of social exclusion has caused has increased the maternal mortality rates in Yemen through the lack of political rights, lack of education, and lack of income the women face. The war has further made things worse for women as they try to raise their families. If this social exclusion were to be focused on, many of these issues could greatly improve and the maternal mortality rates would lessen to a more reasonable number.
1. Wilkinson, Richard. The Solid Facts: Social Determinants of Health. WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2003.
2. Mackenbach, Johan. “Political Determinants of Health.” European Journal of Public Health, vol. 24, 2014, drive.google.com/file/d/1Ta6F0CX9dCURi9VW_-Bcc1HEIB-fhlmK/view.
3. Ansbro, Odharnait. “Raging Civil War Makes Giving Birth Harder Than Ever for Yemen’s Women.” 4 Sept. 2017.
4. Serouri, Abdul, et al. “Findings from a Needs Assessment of Public Sector Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care in Four Governorates in Yemen: a Human Resources Crisis.” 13 Dec. 2012.
5. Lindsay, Aimee. “YEMEN: Humanitarian Crisis Indicates Rise in Maternal Mortality.” Mothers Monument, 2 Mar. 2015, mothersmonument.org/2015/03/02/yemen-maternal-mortality/.