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Pacific Women’s Network Condemns Call to Revoke Dr Anna Naupa’s MSG Appointment

Source: Pacific Women's Network Against Violence Against Women

24 July 2026

For immediate release

The Pacific Women's Network Against Violence Against Women (PWNAVAW) has strongly condemned an “ultimatum” issued by the Malvatumauri National Council of Chiefs calling for the revocation of Dr Anna Naupa's appointment as Director General of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG).

Network Chair and Coordinator of the Fiji Women's Crisis Centre, Shamima Ali, described the move as a clear misogynistic attack on women's leadership.

“Dr Anna Naupa's appointment is path-breaking for women and girls in Vanuatu and across the region. It marks the first time that a ni-Vanuatu and a Pacific woman has been appointed to lead the MSG Secretariat,” Ali said.

She noted that Dr Naupa's appointment represents a significant milestone for women's leadership and participation in regional decision-making across Melanesia and the wider Pacific.

Ali also expressed the Network's support for the statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister of Vanuatu.

“Women's leadership across the Pacific is not up for negotiation,” she stressed.

The Vanuatu Women's Centre (VWC) has also denounced the call, describing it as a disgrace to the women and girls of Vanuatu.

VWC Coordinator Tatavola Matas said Dr Naupa is a highly qualified ni-Vanuatu woman whose leadership represents progress not only for Vanuatu but for the wider Melanesian region.

“To undermine her appointment is to undermine the recognition of women's rightful place in decision-making at the highest levels,” Matas said.

“The Vanuatu Women's Centre stands firmly against this attempt to silence and sideline women's voices. We call for respect for due process, merit, and gender equality in regional leadership.”

VWC founding coordinator and prominent women's rights advocate Merilyn Tahi echoed the Network's concerns and called on traditional leaders to recognise and support women's leadership.

Tahi noted that Vanuatu will mark its 46th anniversary of independence on 30 July and reflected on the important role women played in the country's struggle for independence.

“Many women, from Hilda Lini to Grace Molisa, were part of the movement that helped secure our nation's independence,” she said.

She said it is disappointing that, decades after independence, women's leadership continues to be questioned despite their proven contributions to nation-building.

The Network said that honouring the legacy of Pacific women who fought for justice, freedom and independence requires ensuring that today's women leaders are supported, respected and given every opportunity to succeed.

Background on the Pacific Women's Network Against Violence Against Women (PWNAVAW)

In 1992, the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC) facilitated and hosted the first Pacific Regional Meeting on Ending Violence Against Women in Suva, comprising women leaders from 15 Pacific Island countries. The inaugural meeting led to the establishment of the Pacific Women's Network Against Violence Against Women (PWNAVAW).

Since its establishment, the PWNAVAW, recognised as the leading feminist collective on ending violence against women and girls in the region, has brought together decades of collective expertise, networks, and knowledge on women’s human rights in the region.

It has supported the efforts of Pacific governments, national, regional, and international CSO and NGO networks, and development partners to lift, build, and maintain the quality and standards for gender-based violence counselling services across the Pacific. This, in turn, is reflected in the emergence of many counselling centres and programmes in the Pacific region, including in Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

Collectively, since 1992, the Pacific Women’s Network Against Violence Against Women (PWNAVAW) has had a membership of government and non-government organisations in over 10 countries across the Pacific.

PWNAVAW, which is deeply rooted in the principles of feminism, women’s human rights, gender equality, and the elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls, has also pioneered response and prevention approaches in engaging men.

The FWCC acts as the Secretariat for this Network and organises its conferences.

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Tech – Kimi K3 launch ignites influencer debate over China’s narrowing AI gap with the US, reveals GlobalData

Source: GlobalData

Kimi K3 became one of the most-discussed AI models among influencers in mid-July 2026, as its launch challenged long-held assumptions about the dominance of leading US AI companies. 

Influencers view Moonshot AI's new model as evidence that China is rapidly narrowing the gap with US technology leaders, raising concerns that the competitive advantage once held by companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic is eroding quickly. 
The surge in discussion was further amplified by reports of overwhelming demand that temporarily halted new user sign-ups, benchmark results placing Kimi K3 among the top-performing models across coding and enterprise tasks, and its open-weight release strategy, says GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform.

Shreyasee Majumder, Social Media Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Influencers' reactions were dominated by concern that Kimi K3 represents a strategic threat to US technological leadership rather than merely another model release. Many argued that the model exposes critical vulnerabilities within the US AI ecosystem, particularly as the competitive advantages of closed-model firms begin to erode. There is significant concern that restrictive domestic regulations and safety guardrails may place American developers at a disadvantage.

“Furthermore, several influencers described the launch as an “AI Sputnik moment,” warning that Moonshot AI's progress signals intensifying global competition and could reshape investment, open-source AI adoption, and the long-term competitive position of US technology firms.”

Below are a few popular influencer opinions captured by GlobalData's Social Media Analytics Platform:

  1. Peter H. Diamandis, Founder & Curator at Abundance360:

“America just had its AI Sputnik moment. Kimi K3 dropped a bombshell: 2.8 trillion parameters, the largest open-weight model ever built headed. straight to number one. Possible built on chips two generations behind NVIDIA's best, under US export controls designed to make exactly this impossible…”

  1. Tony Nash, CEO and Founder at Complete Intelligence:

“Greed and Arrogance killed American AI I've been thinking about the release of Kimi K3 and the impacts on Anthropic and OpenAI. The entry of this model is a technical milestone for open weighted models, but it's also a catastrophic structural event for Western AI venture capital. The leadership teams at OpenAI and Anthropic made a historic timing mistake….”

  1. Brian Roemmele, Engineer at PromptExpertise.com:

“Kimi K3 is a gut punch to Anthropic. Its over. A 2.8T open-weight-bound Chinese model just took the WebDev human-preference crown at launch, posted stronger real agentic terminal and long-horizon coding numbers than Claude Fable 5 on the tasks that actually ship products, and did it at roughly one-third the price while soon to be FREE promising full weights in ten days…”

  1. Carlos E. Perez, Consultant at Fannie Mae:

“Caught flat-footed! The USA spent several weeks trying to decide if Fable 5/GPT 5.6 models required export controls; meanwhile, Kimi K3 drops an open-source model that is approximately as good! There's no moat and the capability gap has closed.  This has caught the entire AI industry by surprise.”

  1. David Sacks, Founder/Partner at Craft Ventures:

“This is concerning. For the first time, a Chinese model Kimi K3 has taken #1 on the Frontend Code Arena and is scoring at or near the frontier on other benchmarks.  Meanwhile America is tying itself in knots: politicians and bureaucrats are banning new data centers, piling on state regulations, and pushing for new federal agencies to pre-approve frontier models….”

About GlobalData

GlobalData Plc (LSE:DATA) operates an intelligence platform that empowers leaders to act decisively in a world of complexity and change. By uniting proprietary data, human expertise, and purpose-built AI into a single, connected platform, we help organizations see what is coming, move faster, and lead with confidence. Our solutions are used by over 5,000 organizations across the world's largest industries, providing tailored intelligence that supports strategic planning, innovation, risk management, and sustainable growth.

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Venezuela Earthquake: One month update – MSF

Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

24 July 2026 – One month following the devastating earthquakes, Venezuela continues to grapple with the aftermath, facing profound grief as thousands mourn the loss of family, friends, and everything they owned.

This sudden natural disaster that affected particularly the coastal state of La Guaira, near Caracas, has transitioned into a complex, protracted crisis characterised by massive population displacement, severe infrastructural damage, and deep psychological trauma. In La Guaira and Caracas, the urgent needs include access to clean water, adequate shelter, mental health care, and protection.

The official death toll has reached 5,398, with 16,740 individuals injured, 17,907 displaced, and 6,462 rescued from the rubble. The structural devastation is staggering; 190 buildings have officially collapsed, while over 895 structures, including schools, vital public infrastructure, and hospitals, have suffered severe damage and are at risk of collapse.

Thousands are currently residing in makeshift displacement sites or sleeping in tents adjacent to their damaged homes. In Maiquetía (La Guaira), approximately 3,000 individuals are camping on the pavement directly in front of 20 severely damaged and unstable buildings. Similarly, in Avenida Bolívar (Caracas), another 3,000 individuals are living on the streets, stripped of proper shelter and basic services.

In response to the crisis, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) currently operates four mobile clinics providing primary healthcare, mental health support, health promotion, and water and sanitation activities across the most affected areas: three in La Guaira (Maiquetía, Catia La Mar, and Tamaguarena) and one in Caracas (Avenida Bolívar). These clinics offer primary healthcare, clean water, and emergency mental health interventions to families who have lost everything. In the past month, MSF medical teams have conducted 2,217 medical consultations.

The injuries sustained extend beyond physical; families still searching for loved ones beneath the rubble, along with the shock of sudden homelessness and displacement, have given rise to a psychological crisis. To address these mental health challenges, MSF has integrated mental health support into its mobile response, providing: 113 individual mental health, 323 group therapy sessions, 1,402 psycho-education sessions. With local infrastructure severely compromised, MSF teams are implementing water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) intervention:

Installed a 5,000-liter water bladder in Playa Verde to serve as a reliable clean water source.
Initiated the ongoing chlorination of four primary water distribution sites alongside continuous water purification monitoring.
Distributed 5,000 bottles of emergency drinking water to families living on the streets.

Over the past month, MSF has donated approximately 8.5 tons of emergency medical supplies. This extensive logistical effort has supported immediate, life-saving operations and addressed the healthcare needs of an estimated 10,000 patients. MSF teams continue to provide disinfectants and infection prevention and control materials not only to active hospitals but also to overwhelmed local morgues, ensuring safety, hygiene, and dignity amid unprecedented loss.

MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. Every year more than 120 Australians and New Zealanders go on assignment with Médecins Sans Frontières  working as: doctors, midwives, psychologists, laboratory technicians, human resource/finance coordinators, pharmacists, mental health specialists and logisticians. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au  

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Arts – Applications open for NZSA Peter & Dianne Beatson Fellowship 2026

Source: NZSA

A $12,000 Opportunity for Writers

Calling for applications from writers of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and drama with a literary track record, who are currently working on a new project.

The Peter and Dianne Beatson Fellowship is awarded each year to a mid-career or senior writer to work on a project that shows a high level of literary merit and national significance and is donated by Peter Beatson. Peter has increased the Fellowship to $12,000 this year. We are so appreciative and thank Peter for his continuing and generous support of New Zealand writers.

In 2025, the fellowship was awarded to Breton Dukes, who used the funding to work on to work on a collection of connected short stories.

Breton Dukes has this to say about his win: “It’s hard being a writer. The self-doubt. The blank page – that blinking cursor! And let’s be frank, this government and most of the previous ones don’t care/haven’t cared about the arts. They don’t care about literature. Those in power would struggle to spell the word. Their idea of funding the arts is a joke. We grovel for every cent. And books don’t sell – especially short story collections. So, what a boost to get a phone call in the middle of a quiet Wednesday – I was napping on the couch! A phone call about winning the Peter Beatson Fellowship – real money to do more writing. Recognition for the work I have put in up to this point. And faith in what will come next. And real money – did I mention that? Thanks to the NZSA and thanks to Peter Beatson – good on you, Peter! Thanks for the faith.”

Other previous recipients include: Dr Jacqueline Leckie, Laurence Fearnley, Tim Jones, Siobhan Harvey, Whiti Hereaka, Emma Neale, Michael Harlow, Tina Makereti, Jillian Sullivan, Sue Wootton, and Frankie McMillan.

Deadline for applications: Thursday 18 September 2026

To apply for the fellowship you need to be a member of the NZ Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc). Membership is open to all developing and established writers.

To find out more and to access application forms: https://us.list-manage.com/_ZPG_W201Z_?e=466373ae7c&c2id=0262e346be96b3cfb3b6ac8cf3509050
For media enquiries: contact Chief Executive, The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa PEN NZ Inc. director@nzauthors.org.nz

New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) was established in 1934 and is the principal organisation representing writers’ interests in NZ. A national office oversees 8 branches and hubs, administers prizes and awards, runs professional development programmes, and advocates for the sector and to raise the visibility of NZ writers and NZ writing. It works in partnership with Ngā Kaituhi Māori and its developing Youth writer’s network.
authors.org.nz

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Health and Education – Free school lunches make a difference to child poverty

Source: Health Coalition Aotearoa

A report out today shows children living in poverty up from 11 to 13 percent.
We have an effective tool in healthy school lunches, Ka Ora Ka Ako, says Health Coalition Aotearoa food expert Dr Kelly Garton.
“Research shows a nutritious lunch makes a difference to children's futures. 
“When tamariki are well fed, they can learn, grow, and participate fully in their education and communities.”
“We already have a foundation to build on: the Ka Ora, Ka Ako healthy school lunch programme, which reaches about a quarter of students.
“However, recent funding cuts have reduced the size and quality of meals. With the right investment and a fair pricing model, Ka Ora, Ka Ako could expand while providing meals that better meet children’s nutritional needs.
“This would support learning, improve attendance, and deliver long-term social and economic benefits.”
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PSA calls on Govt to make mileage increase permanent as oil prices surge

Source: PSA

With Brent crude now trading close to US$100 a barrel, the PSA is calling on the Government to make April’s temporary 30 percent mileage rate increase for home and community support workers permanent, and to go further.
“When Health Minister Simeon Brown announced this increase in April, he said it was targeted and temporary, tied to a consistent fall in petrol prices that hasn’t happened,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, PSA National Secretary.
“Global oil prices are climbing again on the back of the Iran war, and these workers will soon be back where they started: paying to go to work themselves.
“Home support workers cannot face a cut in the small fuel subsidy given we are in a cost-of-living crisis, and they have already had their pay equity claim cancelled.”
With petrol prices are about to surge again, Finance Minister Nicola Willis told The Post she is now seeking advice on whether to extend temporary support measures. The mileage rate for home support workers had been frozen since March 2022 – the April decision was for an increase in the allowance from 63.5 cents to 82.5 cents per kilometre, to remain in place for up to 12 months, or until the price of 91 octane petrol fell below $3 per litre for four consecutive weeks.
“The mileage allowance must be set at an adequate level that properly reflects costs and we still need to see the annual statutory review of the In-Between Travel allowance result in further increases. Workers can’t afford to wait any longer especially with the Government about to pass the Employment Leave Bill which further erodes their holiday and sick leave entitlements,” said Fitzsimons.
“Home support workers are essential. They care for our elderly and disabled New Zealanders, driving between clients in their own cars, on one of the lowest reimbursement rates of any publicly funded workforce. The Government has the power to fix this permanently, immediately, without waiting on Treasury or IRD. It just needs the will to do it.
“In a cost-of-living crisis this government promised to fix, it’s time to stop treating essential workers’ pay and conditions as an afterthought. We’re writing to the Finance and Health Ministers today calling on them to make this increase permanent and go further by properly reviewing a rate that’s been inadequate for years.”
ENDS
Background – pay equity legal challenge
The joint union legal challenge to the Government’s pay equity claim under the Bill of Rights Act has its first full hearing at the High Court in Wellington on Monday 3 August. The PSA has also lodged a complaint with the Labour Inspectorate over this issue.
Recent statements
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
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Greenpeace says One third of Canterbury private water supplies reaching nitrate contamination preterm birth risk levels

Source: Greenpeace

Greenpeace is alarmed by Environment Canterbury’s lack of action on nitrate contamination, as new data reveals that 38% of Canterbury households on private water sources are in areas where groundwater nitrate contamination have exceeded levels associated with an increased risk of preterm birth.
Greenpeace Freshwater Campaigner Will Appelbe says the figures should be sobering for everyone in the region.
“Environment Canterbury has just confirmed that over a third of households on private self-supplied water are in areas with groundwater that could put pregnant people at risk. This is absolutely unacceptable.”
“When ECan declared a nitrate emergency in September last year, the understanding was that they would take a leadership role to urgently address the crisis.
“It’s nearly been a year and the question remains: when will ECan actually address the problem and confront the industry responsible for this pollution?”
“These high nitrate levels are the consequences of unchecked dairy expansion and intensification on the Canterbury plains, which is the main source of nitrate contamination. We simply have too many cows and too much synthetic nitrogen fertiliser being thrown on the land.”
The current legal limit for town supplies is 11.3 mg/L, which was set in the 1950s to protect against blue baby syndrome. But a growing body of scientific evidence has linked nitrate levels as low as 1 mg/L to an increased risk of bowel cancer, and levels above 5 mg/L has been linked to an increased risk of preterm birth.
There is increasing community concern about nitrate contamination in Canterbury, which led to Environment Canterbury declaring a Nitrate Emergency in September 2025. The declaration stated that the council:
  • 1. Should take a leadership role to urgently address the issue of groundwater pollution impacting drinking water sources and supplies.
  • 2.  Requests that ECan staff bring a workshop to the next term of Council to outline the scale, causes, spatial distribution, latest lag time research, and current and predicted impacts of nitrate pollution in Canterbury.
  • 3. Requests advice on the indicative cost to drinking water suppliers and private well owners, and consider options so that nitrate polluters contribute to the costs of nitrate removal.
  • ECan’s briefing today was an update from staff on this work. Councillors heard there are an estimated 20,000+ domestic self-supplies in Canterbury, which are households who source their water from private bores or other sources – not town supplies.
Over 500 of those households are in areas where groundwater nitrate levels have previously exceeded 11.3 mg/L, and over 7,500 households are in areas that have exceeded 5.65 mg/L.
“There is mounting evidence that has linked nitrate contaminated drinking water with several human health risks, and these new figures today show how much Canterbury is at risk,” says Appelbe.
Just last week, a new study from researchers at Canterbury, Otago, and Massey universities revealed that nitrate contamination in drinking water could be responsible for up to 120 premature births a year in New Zealand, at levels much lower than New Zealand’s legal health limit. The New Zealand College of Midwives recommends pregnant people consider another source of drinking water, if their water supply exceeds 5 mg/L, because of the increased pregnancy risks.
At today’s meeting, council staff also presented the indicative costs to install filters in households that remove nitrate from drinking water, which were in the range of $3,000 to $5,000 for whole household systems, and $1,000 to $2,000 for systems under the sink.
However, staff have yet to present funding options that the council could implement to ensure that those responsible for nitrate pollution contribute to the costs of nitrate removal from drinking water – as required in the Nitrate Emergency Declaration.
Appelbe says it's critical that Environment Canterbury continues its work under the declaration – the first of its kind in New Zealand.
“Right now, rural families in Canterbury can’t safely drink their water thanks to intensive dairying. The industry that’s polluted their water should be responsible for fixing the problem.
“Funding models that force polluters to pay for filtering are the bare minimum, and the Council must have those options on the table. But ultimately, we have to regulate the intensive dairy industry to stop the pollution at the source. That means fewer cows and phasing out synthetic nitrogen fertiliser.”
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​​​South Korea: Appeal decision for abortion case exposes legal vacuum – Amnesty International

Source: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

Responding to today’s appeal decision overturning the murder conviction of a woman who had a later abortion while reducing the sentences of medical staff, Amnesty International Korea’s Executive Director HeeKyoung Cho said:

“While we welcome the court’s decision to acquit the woman who sought abortion, the court’s decision to uphold the convictions of medical staff exposes structural loopholes in access to essential healthcare in South Korea.

“The National Assembly’s failure to amend the abortion law has left pregnant people without clear legal protections and access to essential reproductive healthcare. People's ability to exercise their reproductive autonomy, control their reproductive lives and decide if, when and how to have children is essential to the full realization of human rights, dignity, and bodily integrity. Moreover, the ability to make decisions about one’s body, sexuality and reproduction is at the core of gender, economic and social justice.

“Women deserve the latest and best medical care. The government must implement measures to remove barriers to accessing safe abortion as well as to provide proper regulations on abortion service provision. The Mother and Child Health Act must immediately be amended to prioritize women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights.”

Background

On 23 July, the Seoul High Court acquitted a woman who had been charged with murder for undergoing a later abortion. While the convictions of medical staff in relation to the later abortion were upheld, their sentences were reduced. The doctor who performed the procedure was sentenced to six months in prison, while the hospital director was sentenced to four years in prison, a fine of 1.5 million won (1,022 US dollars) and forfeiture of 9 million won (6,133 US dollars).

In June 2024, a 26-year-old South Korean woman terminated a pregnancy at approximately 34 to 36 weeks’ gestation at a clinic in Incheon. She documented her experience and hospitalization in a YouTube vlog, which subsequently went viral. As the video gained public attention, the Ministry of Health and Welfare commissioned the police to investigate the case and petitioned for “severe punishment”. In January 2026, prosecutors sought to charge the woman, along with the medical staff and people who facilitated arranging the abortion, with “premeditated murder”.

On 4 March 2026, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced the woman to three years in prison, suspended for five years. She was also ordered to complete 200 hours of community service. The doctor who performed the procedure was sentenced to four years in prison, while the hospital director received a six-year prison sentence, a fine of 1.5 million won (1,022 US dollars) and forfeiture of 1.15 billion won (783,709 US dollars). One of the persons involved in facilitating the abortion received a one-year prison sentence, and the other one was sentenced to ten months in prison, suspended for two years.

In 2019, the Constitutional Court ruled South Korea’s ban on abortion to be unconstitutional and ordered the National Assembly to amend the law by the end of 2020. While abortion has been decriminalized, the National Assembly has yet to enact new regulatory frameworks, thus undermining pregnant people’s access to vital healthcare.

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Consumer NZ – Detergent test shows price doesn’t always deliver quality

Source: Consumer NZ

Consumer NZ says shoppers could save money on dishwasher detergents without sacrificing cleaning performance, after new testing found little connection between price and results.

Consumer NZ tested 26 dishwasher detergents, including tablets, capsules and powders, and found some lower-priced products matched the performance of detergents costing significantly more.

Head of Product at Consumer NZ Joe Slater says the findings challenge the assumption that paying more guarantees cleaner dishes.

“We’ve found shoppers don’t necessarily need to spend top dollar to get excellent cleaning results. Some relatively inexpensive products delivered results that were comparable to products costing two or three times as much.”

Traditional dishwasher powders generally offered the lowest cost per wash, with one powder detergent scoring highly while costing around 20 cents per load. By comparison, some premium capsules cost more than $1 per wash.

“If you’re looking to cut household costs, there are genuine savings to be made by choosing carefully,” Slater says.

The testing also identified a clear loser. Exonic Dishwashing Tablets scored just 55 out of 100 overall, struggling across several food stains and falling well behind the majority of products tested.

Consumer NZ found important performance differences depending on the type of food being cleaned.

Rice starch proved particularly challenging, with scores ranging from 30 to 85. Egg yolk was another that separated strong performers from weak ones, while coffee was comparatively easy for most detergents to remove.

Consumer NZ found several New Zealand-made detergents performed strongly, matching or exceeding many well-known international brands.

Beyond cleaning performance, the organisation noted product information and safety labelling, finding some products provided limited advice on first aid, poisons information and recyclability.

Consumer NZ says it's worth considering overall value rather than assuming the most expensive option is the best choice.

“The message from our testing is simple: check the results before you buy. A higher price tag isn’t a guarantee of cleaner dishes.”

For full test results, visit consumer.org.nz

About Consumer

Consumer NZ is an independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to championing and empowering consumers in Aotearoa. Consumer NZ has a reputation for being fair, impartial and providing comprehensive consumer information and advice.

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VENEZUELA EARTHQUAKES: Pregnant Women and New Mothers Face Growing Health Risks as about 130 Babies Born Every Day

Source: Save the Children

Thousands of pregnant women and new mothers require access to healthcare, nutritious food and safe shelter one month after two devastating earthquakes damaged health facilities and displaced about 21,000 people in Venezuela, Save the Children said.
T he UN estimates there are 36,700 pregnant women who have been affected by the earthquakes, 4,000 of whom are expected to give birth in the next month, equivalent to about 130 babies born every day.[1]
The twin earthquakes, of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, struck on 24 June, destroying and damaging dozens of health facilities and disrupting essential maternal and child healthcare services. Women have told Save the Children staff that some obstetricians and paediatricians were among the over 5,000 people killed in the disaster, leaving families uncertain where to seek care for themselves and their children.
In La Guaira, which was hardest hit, the main maternity hospital remains closed and, while basic care is available, complicated cases must be referred to Caracas. 
Many pregnant women, caregivers, and their children who lost their homes are now living in temporary shelters where access to antenatal care, nutritious food , and clean water and sanitation is limited. At the same time, many are coping with the traumatic loss of loved ones. 
Research shows that high levels of stress and anxiety during pregnancy may affect a baby's brain development and immune system, increasing the risk of preterm birth or even miscarriage. Babies exposed to elevated maternal stress during pregnancy may also show more fear, sadness and distress at three months of age than those born to mothers who experienced less stress. Limited access to nutritious food, uncontrolled infant formula donations, and reduced antenatal care during pregnancy also heightens the risk of malnutrition in infants and increases the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight.
Yohana, – 23, who is pregnant with her first child and relies on glasses to see, was alone at home in one of the hardest-hit parts of La Guaira when the earthquake hit, causing her building to collapse. She managed to escape by breaking a window, although she could not get her glasses until later, adding to her panic. 
“I went out barefoot, just wearing my house clothes. I lost my glasses…I couldn't see, or at least I could see less.
“When the whole house collapsed, I was scared. At that moment, I didn’t feel that I had hurt [my stomach], but with all the chaos, I wasn’t sure if I’d gotten hurt or not. But honestly, all I was thinking about was getting out alive.”
Yohana received a healthcare checkup at a mobile clinic run by Save the Children partner, Paluz in La Guaira. 
Meanwhile, newborn babies and infants living in sodden tents are falling sick from damp conditions or are at risk of mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue during the country’s rainy season. Some mothers living in temporary shelters say that along with feeling stressed and anxious, being able to buy nappies and other essential supplies for their babies is challenging. 
Yennifer-, 23, who is breastfeeding her four-month-old baby, Carmen- , struggled to take care of her own health after the earthquake. Carmen’s paediatrician was also killed in the earthquake. 
“I couldn’t eat and I had a lot of headaches. I couldn't sleep because it felt like I was shaking. It was difficult for me, and any movement put me on alert and I felt very uneasy.”
“Since [Carmen’s-] paediatrician passed away, that's a big worry, because now how am I going to find someone to treat her because there's no money either,” Yennifer- said. “Everything feels overwhelming and I can’t rest”.
Fatima Andraca, Save the Children’s Country Director in Venezuela said: 
“Every day about 130 babies are born to mothers in Venezuela whose lives have been turned upside down by the earthquake and who are dealing with huge amounts of stress. Many are bringing their newborns into a world of uncertainty, displacement and disrupted healthcare services.
“We’re hearing worrying reports of young babies becoming sick in camps where families are sleeping on damp mattresses exposed to rain and poor sanitation. At the same time, women are grieving loved ones, coping with trauma and worrying about where they can access healthcare after losing trusted obstetricians and paediatricians.
“Pregnancy and caring for a newborn can be challenging under any circumstances. No mother should have to navigate those challenges while living in a tent, mourning losses and worrying about whether her child can access the healthcare they need.”
Save the Children said it is imperative that pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, and their children, are prioritised in the humanitarian response and recovery in Venezuela through urgent coordination, adequate funding, and targeted actions. 
Save the Children is calling on international governments, donors and humanitarian partners to ensure that pregnant and breastfeeding women affected by the earthquake have continuous access to quality antenatal, delivery and postnatal care, skilled infant and young child feeding support, nutritious food, safe shelter, clean water and sanitation, and essential newborn supplies, both now and in the months ahead. 
Save the Children is on the ground in Venezuela, working with authorities and local partners providing primary healthcare through mobile clinics, distributing hygiene kits, clean water and essential supplies. Save the Children is also supporting parents and caregivers to access services for small and nutritionally at-risk babies under six months to help them survive and thrive, including nutrition assessments for babies, and breastfeeding counselling and mental health support for caregivers. The organisation is also exploring potential support to maternal and paediatric services in coordination with national health authorities. 
Save the Children has been working in Venezuela since 2019. Since the humanitarian crisis started to rapidly deteriorate a few years ago, Save the Children has been scaling up its response through local partners to support the increasing number of children in need. Save the Children is delivering health, nutrition, education, child protection, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene and food security and livelihoods support. 
In Aotearoa New Zealand, Save the Children is raising much-needed funds to support the response in Venezuela. To donate, go to:  Venezuela Earthquakes Appeal.
-Names changed for anonymity.