Pakistan

Women in Pakistan are particularly vulnerable and face significant barriers to exercising their rights and the freedom to exert control over their own bodies, sexuality and family life. It is difficult for them to access good quality sexual and reproductive health services. Although Pakistan is the fifth most populated country in the world, with population growth of 2.4% per year, rates of contraceptive use have stalled at 34.2%.

This situation puts women at risk as they contend with early and closely spaced pregnancies and suffer miscarriages. Furthermore, 40% of births are not attended by qualified healthcare staff. Too many women die during pregnancy or while giving birth and many children die from asphyxia at birth or from diarrhoea or pneumonia during their first years of life.

On top of poor healthcare provision, socio-cultural norms present an additional barrier to exercising the right to sexual and reproductive healthcare. In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), women cannot travel alone and they usually need permission from their husband or mother-in-law to attend healthcare facilities. Very few female medical staff, particularly doctors, are employed in this region.

In Punjab, in eastern Pakistan, Médecins du Monde works with partners to provide reconstructive surgery and psychosocial support for survivors of acid burns.

We also give medical supplies and operational support to a partner organisation which identifies patients and manages transport and logistics. In 2024, reconstructive surgery was performed on 49 patients.