For the first time in Togo, a birth center is being constructed based on the plans of our partner organization, AFAD. This facility is designed and equipped to ensure that women can give birth in an environment that respects their rights and meets their needs.
Improved Support for Women in Labor
In Togo, as in many West African countries, women giving birth in health facilities are usually offered only the supine position on a delivery bed. Disrespect and mistreatment by medical staff often discourage women from seeking care in health centers, contributing to high maternal mortality rates. In the new birth center designed by AFAD, essential equipment will be available, and there will be ample space to ensure privacy. Trained staff will provide care that respects the dignity, rights, and preferences of expectant mothers.
AFAD has long been a strong advocate for respectful maternity care. Access to safe, high-quality, and respectful childbirth services can significantly reduce maternal mortality. Respectful care means involving women in decision-making, safeguarding their privacy, allowing them to choose a companion, and letting them decide on their preferred birth position.
Innovation in Midwifery Training
AFAD’s work is yielding tangible results: at the request of the Ministry of Health, AFAD conducted training sessions in respectful maternity care for instructors at four national midwifery schools last year. As a result, all national midwifery schools have now incorporated this training. From now on, all midwives will be trained in alternative birthing positions as part of a newly integrated component of the national curriculum.
Another important milestone is ongoing collaboration with the Directorate of Health Infrastructure to revise the architectural plans for maternity wards. For the first time, respectful maternity care is being embedded in the very foundations of new birth centers.
