The Sidewalk Cesarean and the Urgency of Women’s Rights.

The shocking video of a women lying on the sidewalk while another woman is performing a cesarean section on her and placing the lifeless bodies of her twin babies on her stomach as some onlookers gaze in silence and horror while others record the incident on their phones begs the question – is the life of a poor woman in Africa worth nothing? This tragedy happened outside a major hospital in Douala, the commercial city of Cameroon on March 10^th just a few days after the celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8^th. As the story goes, the dead woman had gone to the hospital to give birth to her babies but was turned away because she could not afford to pay the consultation fee. She eventually died from a lack of medical care and her body was placed in the morgue. The dead woman’s relative, upon hearing the news, wondered if her  unborn children were still alive. In an effort to save the children, she removed the dead woman from the morgue and, because she could not secure medical assistance from health personnel, she decided to perform an impromptu cesarean section on her relative on the sidewalk in front of the hospital using a blade! The incident was recorded by one of the spectators on a cell phone and circulated on the internet: https://us-mg4.mail.yahoo.com/neo/launch?.rand=ap6220hsjspjd#. Please note the video is very graphic and may shock.

Now, I ask you to imagine this woman as a relative of yours – your mother, sister, aunt, cousin, wife, friend or even neighbor. Also, imagine the contrast of this scene of terrible loss to that of the jubilant women parading in the streets in their newly sewn Women’s Day uniforms, singing and dancing political songs of praise, and drinking and generally letting loose. Or, if you are internationally inclined, imagine you are watching or reading about celebrations which advocate for equal pay for women or for more representation of women in decision-making positions and on boards of directors. Where does the dead woman who could not afford to pay for health care in an emergency situation fit in? Clearly, not with those advocating for equal pay since women working in the Cameroon civil service receive the same pay as men. Most likely, this woman was self- employed and of limited means since she could not afford the consultation fee necessary to grant her the medical care she needed. Certainly this dead woman also does not fit in with the women in Cameroon who, although they most likely understand her situation, have chosen this day to celebrate with dance and drink, which is an indication that they are pleased with the condition of women’s rights in their country.  It would be interesting to know if this experience motivated any of them to think differently about the situation of women’s rights and to find a better way of celebrating March 8. Please see my blog on this subject. https://klifanda.wordpress.com

This video, although shocking, vividly highlights in stark terms a number of pressing issues related to women’s rights: a) women’s rights although universal are context specific and the priorities differ according to the region, the country’s wealth and investments in women and the national policies on women etc. hence the priorities and needs of women in developing countries are different from those of women in developed countries; b) women in developing countries especially the poor and vulnerable do not enjoy many of the human rights that are universally promoted; c) women’s rights as outlined by The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against women (CEDAW) and other related conventions lack a common understanding and implementation by governments, the civil society organizations and women themselves; d) there is a lack of information, awareness and understanding  of women’s rights by women in developing countries (Africa) which prevents them from advocating for change, hold their governments responsible and demand real investments in their welfare; e) the need for women at the grassroots level to take action to improve their lives within the groups to which they belong; these groups include savings, churches, ethnic affiliations etc. 

According to the reports, this mother referenced above died because she could not afford the consultation fee of 200.000 FRS CFA about $360, which is a fortune for many middle class families in Cameroon who do not have a steady income. She was removed from the morgue for the caesarian which supposes that she arrived at the hospital in labour in a situation that could have been considered an emergency, but because she had no money or status, she was not attended to and was left to die. This scenario raises a number of questions, such as: a) the cost of affordable healthcare especially for emergencies and women’s health; b) the quality, compassion and receptivity of the medical personnel particularly those working in obstetric care; c) the availability, and accessibility of quality reproductive healthcare for every woman; d) the attitude towards women’s suffering. Are we desensitized to women’s pain and sufferings to the point that we can watch her collapse and die and we do nothing? Have we come to accept women, especially poor women, as the beasts of burden expected to do all and complain little? 

This incident raises a number of serious questions for me which I hope will also resonate with you. What are women’s rights and how are they manifested in our everyday lives? What can each of us do to make these rights a reality, realizing that the enjoyment of rights by women positively impacts the lives of everyone, men, women and children? An educated and active woman is an investment to herself, her family and her community. Today, there is more talk and consensus on women’s rights (girls’ education, women in decision making positions, etc.) than there has been in the past several years. Yet there is a sense that this interest is not focused on the needs of the poor, marginalized and vulnerable women and girls in rural and urban areas. I see less action to help these women now than I saw thirty years ago while working in villages or as a young woman growing up in a town of several thousand people. 

Growing up, I remember that traditional birth attendants (TBA’s) were the first port of call for women as soon as they reached puberty. These TBA’s provided prenatal, antenatal and postnatal care at home at very little or no cost. These TBA’s were well connected to the hospitals and clinics; they made referrals in cases of complications and they were given regular refresher courses by experienced health workers. The women in my community also organized themselves to manage local disputes and engage with the local authorities, etc. These organizations and, thus, their activities have since disappeared and have been replaced by local and big governments, which are influenced by money and special interests. 

The responsibility for ensuring that women can enjoy their human rights lies with governments, civil society, local communities and with the women themselves. Positive results happen when polices are combined with action at all levels especially at the grassroots level. I would like to see women take responsibility for their health and education just as their mothers and grandmothers did before them through their savings club, church groups, traditional associations and local organizations. Governments are big and slow to action; women in other parts of the world have their concerns although we can learn from them and partner with them. As African women you know your needs and understand the challenges that you must overcome in order to move forward. Seek information on how to make your life better, learn about your rights and take action. Enjoying your rights does not make you less of a mother or wife and does not make the men in your lives less than men. Enjoying your rights makes you more informed, more knowledgeable and active in your community, healthy, courageous and strong. It makes your world bigger and opens you up to more possibilities. 

Let the women’s machineries in African countries begin an in-depth evaluation of their country’s commitment to women’s rights and let them use the International Women’s Day to call their governments and populations to action on behalf of women, so that in the future “sidewalk cesareans” will not happen and if they do we can hold someone accountable.