maandag 19 april 2010

Mothersnight

May 8 it's the "Mothersnight" in the Netherlands (May 9 is our national Mothersday).

11 pregnant ladies posed for me last week, Simavi can use these lovely images of their pregnant bellies for their campaign against the high rates of mothers dying when pregnant or giving birth worldwide. It's Milleniumgoal no. 5, and it's the goal with the worst results so far.
In Breda, my hometown, there will be an event at the old cityhall, and worldwide the UN hopes to draw attention to this problem too. For some reason women aren't considered equal to men, but as the giver of life wo hould be charished and loved, not put down and thrown away when (men) consider them useless, like when they only deliver babygirls and not -boys.
It's irritating the hell out of me. I am a mother myself and can't understand the way some (men) are thinking. And for me it's hard to see e.g. the photos of Marco Vernaschi Dying for Treatment. When I look at them, my heart breaks and I want to leave NL and rush there and go help myself.
Two women waiting to give birth in the pre-birth room. The whole hospital is in desperate hygiene conditions and suffers from lack of facilities. In same cases, the lack of goodwill of the Guinean Government is the cause of such conditions. There are 700 hospital beds and a new surgery room ready to be sent to Guinea Bissau, but as the Guinean Government insisted to charge custom taxes, the material will be sent somewhere else.
We must stop this madness. The children are the world!
Support Simavi with their struggle. Or check www.Moedernacht.nl (Dutch) for more information.