NationStates Jolt Archive

I'd appreciate your support for this important proposal:

Funding for Obstetric Fistulas
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.


Category: Human Rights Strength: Significant Proposed by: Park Slope-estan
Description: Obstetric fistulas occur when women who are malnourished and lack proper medical care give birth to a child. A fistula is a hole caused by loss of tissue between the vagina and bladder and/or rectum, usually during childbirth. When this occurs, woman can't control their bowels and are frequently left by their spouses and families to die because the repulsiveness of the condition.

This condition, which is prevalent in 3rd world countries, can be cured with proper medical care.

I propose that the United Nations creates a fund to finance treatment of obstetric fistulas for women in Third World Countries.

Funding will come from the overall United Nations budget (ideally around 2%) rather from individual member nations (although individual member nations can and are encouraged to give more). Funding will be administered by a United Nation Commission to ensure that funds are properly spent and that women are properly helped.

Please help cure this medical condition!

The UN's record on health issues has been unfocused at best, but the Required Basic Healthcare resolution would probably cover this condition.

Moreover, 'United Nations budget' is a misnomer. The UN is not allowed to directly impose taxes on member states, and must find funding for each resolution on a case-by-case basis.

Women with fistulas tend to go in hiding, because it is such an extreme condition. Because they go into hiding and are usually treated as social outcasts, they require special care that go beyond regular medical care (counsellijg, education of those around them that it's fixable, etc). That is why the real United Nations has a special task force on this issue (which I actually read about in Jane Magazine this morning).

Check out www.fistulahospital.org to get a better idea on the condition - it's quite horrible. Women with it are treated worse than lepers.

The nation of Sophista is going to agree with the author on this proposal. We believe that such a health problem is more than deserving of the attention of the international community, and will support a resolution that seeks to solve the problem. However, we'd like a little more information on exactly how we as the United Nations would help.

Do you propose we fund hospitals for women suffering from this condition? Or to initiate a nation-wide nourishment program? Perhaps if you clarify the mechanism by which we will make progress against this scourge, we'll be better able to voice our support.

Sincerely yours,
Daniel M. Hillaker
Minister of Foreign Affairs

Ick, I've read about these in a medical journal, icky stuff tis'

Although your idea is basically a sound one I agree with previous posts, more detail/clarification is required. I suggest first reviewing the stickies on proposal making/submition, but, hey, take heart, yours is a good idea, and with polishing could easily slip into the voting floor and get passed, heck, the plain goodness for the down-trodden bit would get the sheep vote for sure... :wink:

Off in search of coffee, The Rep of Komokom.