Sexual and reproductive health

In a landmark public health achievement, the World Health Organization (WHO) has validated the Maldives for eliminating mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) of hepatitis B.

The 24-month cohort follow-up, conducted between August 2022 and December 2024, paints a troubling picture of early marriage, adolescent pregnancy, violence, and severe gaps in reproductive health services for some of the country’s most marginalised women.

The study urged that the Rohingya crisis not be seen in isolation but as a social, economic, and humanitarian challenge requiring integrated responses that combine humanitarian action, climate resilience, and peace-building.

In 2023 alone, roughly 260,000 women worldwide died during or shortly after childbirth, with 22 per cent (about 58,000 maternal deaths) occurring in the Asia-Pacific – many of which were preventable with timely midwife-led care.

In Upper Kohistan, 98 out of 718 babies – roughly 13.65 per cent – were born underweight, making it the most affected district in the province. Kolai Palas followed with a 9.04 per cent rate (34 out of 376), while Upper Chitral recorded 76 such cases out of 1,212 births, translating to 6.27 per cent.

The research, meticulously titled "Social and Economic Factors in Fertility in Maldives," delved deep into the experiences and perspectives of 479 women aged between 18 and 45, alongside valuable input from men and healthcare professionals through focused group discussions.

The Trump administration has signalled that funding for climate programmes, gender rights, and reproductive health will likely be cut permanently.

While grassroots activism continues to challenge entrenched norms, the legislative battle against child marriages in Balochistan has been disappointingly sluggish.