Deadly Delays: Maternal Mortality in Peru

A Rights-Based Approach to Safe Motherhood

Peru's persistently high maternal mortality ratio, the second highest in South America, dramatically illustrates systemic inequities that ravage the overall society and in turn reflect systematic violations of human rights and vast disparities in the health care system. Deaths of largely rural and impoverished women are the result of a systematic policy, programming, and budgeting decisions as well as societal and cultural factors. Addressing maternal mortality requires increased funding to strengthen Peru's health system by both the Peruvian Government and international donors, with resources allocated equitably and without discrimination to poor women to access emergency obstetric care. Peru also needs a National Plan of Action to address human resources in health to ensure respect for both patients' and workers' rights and promote equitable allocation of services.

• View in PDF format
• En español