Contemplating Impact and Visualizing Change: Statistics on Grieving Mothers in the Arab World

Every human has a mother. Stating the obvious? Here are more obvious facts: once a mother, you feel the same about your child whether she is 2, 10, 20 or 40. And to lose a child at any age is a tragedy.

Health organizations worldwide celebrate 1 and 2% reduced infant mortality rates in the Arab World. As more mothers learn to care for their unborn and young children, there’s an alarming rise in numbers of women who must cope with grief due to modernity and an ever worsening political climate. It appears that Arab mothers are among the most grief-struck women in the world and here are some reasons why:

• In 2014 over 1,242 mothers lost their children from military operation “Protective Edge” in Gaza.
• In 2014 the percentage of mothers who lost their children in Iraq due to military activity doubled to 17,049.
• From 2011 to 2014 over 191,000 mothers lost their children in Syria.
• In 2010 over 18% of grieving Lebanese mothers have lost their daughters to Tobacco related disease.
• In the UAE, 62% of mothers who lost their children to injury resulted from road accidents.
• The #1 reason mothers grieve in Saudi is due to car accidents.
• In 2014, over 1,147 Yemeni mothers grieved for losing their children to US-drone led airstrikes

As mother’s day approaches in the USA, we invite mothers the world over to contemplate the challenges born out of those statistics and visualize the impact a change would have on the Middle East and the world at large, and be grateful for the important, powerful roles mothers play.

To read more thought-provoking, insightful articles, visit Challenge 2 Change.

References:

• CNN
• Wikipedia
• UAE Health Authority
• Green Prophet
• WHO
• The Guardian