UK maternal death rates are the highest they’ve been in 20 years, and Black women are four times more likely to die in childbirth than white women.
To highlight the unbelievable statistics about maternal death rates and poor outcomes for pregnant women of colour in the UK, a new campaign for the women’s health charity Sister Circle, created by Droga5 London, was released on April Fool’s Day — a day traditionally devoted to bogus news.
In a series of OOH executions running across London, #NotAprilFools highlights these shocking facts. Other stats reveal that 1 in 4 mothers develop a mental health problem after pregnancy or childbirth, and they can wait up to 19 months to receive professional support, and women living in deprived areas are twice as likely to die in childbirth.
Ocean Media and Jack London have donated space for the campaign at sites including Canary Wharf, Westfield, and Leicester Square. Thanks to Sister Circle’s network of influencers, the campaign will also appear on social media.
Karen Wint, CEO of Sister Circle, said: ‘We are so very grateful to the incredible Droga5 team for creating this important campaign #NotAprilFools. Women’s health has been hugely underfunded for so many years, and the impact of this on women’s lives can be seen through the creative approach. Our partnership is vital in helping us to increase awareness of the issues facing ethnic minority women and to advance our work by encouraging women to volunteer with us and raise those ever-important pounds to fund our work.’
Sister Circle is led by women and is based in the London borough of Tower Hamlets. It supports women in challenging circumstances, offering a range of services, including support for new mothers, survivors of female genital cutting, and those who are escaping domestic abuse or trafficking.
Shelley Smoler, Chief Creative Officer of Droga5 London, said: ‘As huge advocates of our charity client, Sister Circle, our mission is to help them make these hard-hitting facts about women in the UK as bogus as the others that we’re confronted with on April Fools.‘
Featured image: #NotAprilFools campaign
