Being a Mother in the United Arab Emirates

On this day when many countries are celebrating Mother’s Day it is good to consider the changing role of mothers and what it is like to be a mother here in the Emirates.

According to the development organization, Save the Children, more than 350,000 women die each year from complications of pregnancy and childbirth.

Mothers’ Index

Save the Children has just released their ‘2011 State of the World’s Mothers Report’. The organization conducted a comprehensive study of 164 countries (including the UAE) and compiled a ‘Mothers’ Index’.

Those countries at the top of the index are those where women have access to excellent health services, skilled health workers and opportunities for education and advancement.

The gap between the top and bottom-ranked countries is dramatic. The report comes with essays and some recommendations as to what should be done to bridge the divide between countries that meet the needs of their mothers and those that don’t.

Download

To download the full report, including the executive summary, follow this link.

Geoff Pound

This article is also posted in the Fujairah in Focus—Facebook Page.

Image: Photo courtesy of the Save the Children website.