It's so good to see this issue getting more attention! I had not heard about obstetric fistula into my former, beloved OBGYN announced he was moving to Africa to join an organization that facilitates and performs the repair surgeries. Not a bad reason to lose a good doctor.

Until. I meant "until my..."

*Film In NYC About This Topic!*

The Women’s City Club of New York is presenting a screening of
a unique, award-winning documentary that has been accepted
at 15 film festivals throughout the world.

A WALK TO BEAUTIFUL tells the stories of five
Ethiopian girls who suffer from devastating childbirth injuries. Rejected by their husbands and ostracized by their communities, these girls are left to spend the rest of their lives in loneliness and shame. The trials they endure and their attempts to rebuild their lives tell a universal story of hope, courage and transformation.
For more information, please go to www.walktobeautiful.com.

Friday, December 14th 5:00pm - 8:00pm
DOLBY SCREENING ROOM
1350 Avenue of the Americas
(at 55th Street), First Floor
Wine, cheese & soft drinks before the screening.
A discussion with the film’s producers will follow.
$50

For more information, please call 212.353.8070 or email info@wccny.org

Thanks, James!

Jessica, thanks for posting this information - fistula is such an important issue affecting women, and not enough people are aware of it. There is such stigma attached to it that it is often difficult to educate people on the topic.

The organization I work for, Soroptimist International of the Americas, appeals to its volunteer club members each year, all over the world, for donations toward a project that helps women and girls in extreme poverty. The project is linked with December 10th (United Nations’ Human Rights Day).

This year’s appeal, Restoring Dignity: Hamlin Fistula Relief and Aid Fund, will support Ethiopian women with this debilitating condition. Please click on the link to read our news release and learn more.

Thank you so much for posting about this, Jessica! RH Reality Check worked hard to put this series together because it's such a heart-wrenching issue.

Obstetric fistula was eliminated in this country and we can do it in other countries as well. But there are so many issues that must be dealt with so we can eradicate this injury - child marriage, gender inequities, lack of family planning health services. The procedure to remedy a fistula costs only $300 but, of course, there are so many barriers to making it that far - travel expenses, education, being "allowed" to even make the trip. So, it's crucial that we continue this information sharing and discussion!!

James, I have seen clips from A Walk to Beatiful. We'd love to put an excerpt up on RH Reality in our TV Reality section on the film!

Here's one more link on fistula and efforts to end it:

http://www.endfistula.org/index.htm

It always frustrates me to hear fistula referred to as a childbirth injury in the first sentence of any webpage because it definitely bears mentioning that a lot of women who have fistula got it by being gang raped or raped with sharp foreign objects.

So, to add something that needs to be eradicated in order to actually get rid of fistula in many african communities:

Senseless wars brought on by imperialistic ignorance in mapping out borders on conquered Africa/dire poverty and limited resources in Africa of today, in which violent rape is often used as a weapon. Those need to go.

"It always frustrates me to hear fistula referred to as a childbirth injury in the first sentence of any webpage because it definitely bears mentioning that a lot of women who have fistula got it by being gang raped or raped with sharp foreign objects."

Good point. I should have said "Here's one more link on obstetric fistula and efforts to end it" in my previous post here.

"Senseless wars brought on by imperialistic ignorance in mapping out borders on conquered Africa/dire poverty and limited resources in Africa of today, in which violent rape is often used as a weapon. Those need to go."

Indeed.

AmieBeth,

You can contact Victoria at Women's City Club. Her email is victoriap@wccny.org, she is the Program Coordinator and would love to hear from you.

James