Tostan participates today in the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula
in Mali, in the region of Koulikoro.
Over the past several years, Tostan has enabled hundreds of women in the Koulikoro region suffering from fistula to receive medical treatment at UNFPA’s fistula repair camps by covering some of the essential expenses associated with seeking treatment, such as transportation to remote health facilities, food and lodging for accompanying caregivers, and additional medical costs (special prescriptions, hygiene kits, postoperative medications). Without this support, many women would not have been able to access the treatment they needed.
Obstetric fistula is preventable, according to the World Health Organization: it can largely be avoided through early access to obstetric care, delaying the age of first pregnancy, and stopping harmful traditional practices. Tostan helps communities at the local level to prevent fistula.
Tostan’s approach is holistic and integrated, and learning about fistula prevention is made possible through its three-year Community Empowerment Program (CEP). In the CEP, community members engage in dialogue about important issues related to the well-being of their community. They discuss human rights and responsibilities and learn about good health practices, while gaining skills in reading, writing, math and project management.
Tostan participants learn specifically about fistula during the health module – what it is and how to prevent it – and realize that child marriage leading to early pregnancy can be a cause of fistula if the girl does not have access to adequate health care. Because participants have learned about their human right to health and are empowered to speak out and voice their opinion about ending practices that do not lead to the well-being of their community, they have the courage to campaign about the importance of ending child marriage and genital cutting in their community and beyond.
