International Day to End Obstetric Fistula

International Day to End Obstetric Fistula

The International Day to End Obstetric Fistula is a global observance aimed at raising awareness and promoting efforts to combat a condition that afflicts many expectant mothers in the developing world. Obstetric fistula is a severe medical condition that occurs when a hole develops between the birth canal and the bladder or rectum of a woman due to prolonged or obstructed labor without treatment. This often results in chronic physical and psychological complications, including incontinence, social isolation, and increased risk of maternal disability or death. By recognizing this day, the global community demonstrates its commitment to ensuring that all women have access to quality maternal health care, and that those suffering from fistula receive proper treatment and support.

The United Nations designated this day in 2013, based on the Campaign to End Fistula initiated in 2003 by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and its partners. As a member of the global community, Canada plays an important role in supporting initiatives to end obstetric fistula, pledging financial and technical assistance to organizations working on maternal health in the developing world.

As a nation that values health care as a fundamental right, Canada often participates in the observance of the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula through educational events, fundraising campaigns, and social media awareness programs. The International Day to End Obstetric Fistula is observed on May 23rd.

Top 7 Facts for 2026 International Day to End Obstetric Fistula in Canada

• The International Day to End Obstetric Fistula on May 23, 2026, centers on the global theme Her health, her right: Shaping a future without fistula, emphasizing that access to quality maternal healthcare is a fundamental human right rather than a luxury.
• The Canadian government, through Global Affairs Canada, remains a leading supporter of this cause, recently pledging millions in funding to the United Nations Population Fund to strengthen sexual and reproductive health services in 13 sub-Saharan African countries where the condition is most prevalent.
• A significant Canadian contribution to the field is led by Dr. Stephen Foster, a professor at McMaster University and recipient of the Teasdale-Corti Humanitarian Award, who partners with Mission Aviation Fellowship Canada to fly specialized medical supplies and surgical teams into remote regions of Angola to reach "forgotten women" suffering from the injury.
• The Montreal-based non-profit Mères du monde en santé continues to mobilize Canadian medical professionals for humanitarian missions, with a scheduled 2026 campaign to provide free reparative surgeries and training at the university teaching hospital in Lusaka, Zambia.
• Advocacy for the 2026 observance will be bolstered by the Women Deliver 2026 conference, one of the world’s largest gatherings for gender equality, which will bring thousands of global health experts together just weeks before the official day to strategize on meeting the United Nations' goal of ending fistula by 2030.
• Medical experts highlight the "social death sentence" associated with the condition, noting that in roughly 90 percent of obstetric fistula cases, the baby does not survive the traumatic labor, leaving the mother to face both profound grief and chronic physical incontinence.
• While a transformative surgery to repair a fistula costs approximately $600 USD, it remains out of reach for many of the estimated 500,000 to two million women currently living with the injury, making international solidarity and surgical care equity central topics for this year's awareness efforts.

In the News and Trending in Canada for International Day to End Obstetric Fistula

Top things to do in Canada for this observance

• Read several stories about women who have dealt with obstetric fistula.
• Learn more about the campaign to end Fistula and how you can help.
• Watch a fim that showcases the challenges faced by women with obstetric fistula and the impact of treatment and prevention efforts. One suggestion is the film A Walk to Beautiful, which tells the stories of five Ethiopian women who regain their health and lives after receiving treatment for obstetric fistula.
• Read a book about obsteric fistula today. Some suggestions include:
  1. The Hospital by the River: A Story of Hope by Catherine Hamlin and John Little - This book tells the story of Dr. Catherine Hamlin, who co-founded the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia to help women suffering from Obstetric Fistula.
  2. Obstetric Fistula: Guiding Principles for Clinical Management and Programme Development by Andrew Browning and L. Lewis Wall - This book provides a comprehensive overview of Obstetric Fistula's clinical care, management, and prevention strategies.