South Sudan

Why We Work in South Sudan

Since 2013 South Sudan has been racked by civil war.  Hundreds of thousands have died in the conflict, and more than a third of South Sudanese have fled their homes. Today, despite a relative period of calm, ceasefire violations, along with epidemic outbreaks and extreme poverty, continue to undermine the country’s stability.

Not surprisingly, South Sudan has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. A woman has a one-in-28 chance of dying from pregnancy-related causes in her lifetime. For every woman that dies in childbirth, the World Health Organization estimates that 20 more survive with significant injuries, such as obstetric fistula. 

Nearly every risk factor for obstetric fistula is prevalent in South Sudan. Early marriage and teenage pregnancy are common, and the fertility rate is high. With limited access to maternal health care services, very few women give birth in the presence of a skilled attendant. Sporadic fistula treatment campaigns in recent years have not kept up with the resulting high rate of obstetric fistula and backlog of existing cases.