ABSTRACT
Maternal mortality remains a critical public health challenge globally. The causes of maternal mortality include a complex web of cultural, social, political, and individual factors that influence the risk of a woman dying during or shortly after childbirth. Regrettably, more than half of the maternal deaths occur in low- to middle-income countries especially in SSA. Women’s access to and control over economic resources and participation in economic activity not only is a potential pathway to reducing gender inequalities but can also create a trajectory that leads to reduction in maternal mortality risk. However, previous studies conducted on the effectiveness of economic empowerment programs on maternal health have demonstrated conflicting perspectives. This chapter contributes to the burgeoning literature on women empowerment and health by examining the ecological relationships between women’s empowerment and risk of maternal mortality among 45 countries in SSA over a 16-year period. The results show that the following may lead to rapid maternal mortality decline: gender equality in access to human capital development opportunities; proportion of women who are economically active; gender parity in education; and involvement in policy-making. We found that risk of maternal mortality declined over time as gender equality increased. Similarly, we found that improvement in women’s educational attainment over time was associated with reduced risk of maternal mortality. The results show that women’s empowerment, over the long run, is an important preventive strategy for reducing maternal mortality, especially in Sub-Sahara Africa. These findings have implications for meeting the targets of the recently launched Global Health 2035 report, and the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 5.
