International Day to End Obstetric Fistula is observed every year on May 23. It is an international holiday for gathering support and spreading awareness about obstetric fistula, a childbirth-related injury that majorly affects women in poor economic regions.
Medically, it is described as a hole in the birth canal that occurs due to prolonged labor without medical intervention and other factors during childbirth.
According to the United Nations Population Fund (U.N.F.P.A.), obstetric fistula is one of the most severe and tragic injuries that can occur during childbirth. The United Nations (U.N.) first observed the holiday in 2013.
Zonta International has been a long-term global advocate and donor in the fight against obstetric fistula, a preventable childbirth injury caused by prolonged, obstructed labor without timely, high-quality medical care. Left untreated, it can lead to infection, infertility, depression, social isolation, and deep poverty.
Since 2008, Zonta has committed over $3.5 million to the UNFPA’s Campaign to End Obstetric Fistula in Liberia, focusing on prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation
- Prevention: Raising awareness, delaying first pregnancy, ending harmful traditional practices, and ensuring timely access to obstetric care Zonta International.
- Treatment: Providing free surgical and non-surgical interventions, with a 90% success rate when properly trained surgeons and equipped facilities are available
- Rehabilitation: Equipping survivors with skills for economic empowerment and reintegrating them into communities
- Capacity Building: Training midwives, nurses, and surgeons in fistula management and post-operative care
Liberia Fistula Project
From 2008 to 2018, Zonta’s funding supported the Liberia Fistula Project, which:
- Treated over 1,000 women and adolescent girls surgically.
- Rehabilitated 200+ survivors and reintegrated them into communities.
- Reduced new fistula cases but faced setbacks during the Ebola outbreak, which increased recurrence rates
- Targeted 40% of women and girls for surgical treatment, with indirect benefits for others through advocacy