Indonesia: Gender inequality endangers women's health

Muhammad Juhri decided his wife would undergo a normal delivery, even though the doctor advised a Cesarean section because of her high blood pressure. Though the baby was safe, the mother died of complications. "The maternity hospital suggested a C-section, but I didn't have the money," Juhri, a motorcycle taxi driver in Depok, a Jakarta suburb, said of the US$1,000-$1,500 procedure. "I took her to a midwife, but she could not handle the delivery." The fate of Juhri's wife points to a larger problem plaguing Indonesia–a woman's lack of power over her own healthcare decisions, contributing to the high maternal mortality rate. "Inequality in decision-making, limited access to health services in rural areas and lack of information on healthy pregnancy are among the factors that contribute to maternal deaths," said Masruchah, secretary-general of the National Commission on Violence against Women.