Maternal health IN INDONESIA
The government of Indonesia has recently reported that the maternal mortality rate has declined from 308 per 100,000 live births in 2007 to 228 per 100,000 in 2010. In order achieve the MDG, Indonesia must bring this figure down to 102 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2015. However, health officials in Bali noted a worrisome reversal in the provincial maternal mortality rate increasing from 58 per 100,000 in 2010 to 84 last year. Many women and girls living in poor and marginalized communities in Indonesia face challenges in accessing sexual and reproductive health information and services. Some of these barriers directly link to the laws and policies implemented by the state which discriminates against women. These laws and practices criminalize abortion which may be a significant factor to the high number of unsafe abortions in Indonesia. A 2001 study conducted by the University of Indonesia shows an estimated that there are two million induced abortion cases each year in Indonesia, 30% of which are unmarried women. These unsafe abortions account for between 5-11% of maternal death in Indonesia. In order to reduce the maternal mortality rate it is important to educate women on safe sexual intercourse.