The Mailman School uses the tools of science to understand the relationship between a woman's health and the socioeconomic and cultural conditions in which she lives. This information will aid in the development of policies and programs that promote the health, education, and economic success of women. Creating an environment where women can share personal experiences and acquire new information and skills is essential to their independence and self-esteem. Every minute of every day, a woman dies from the complications of pregnancy or childbirth-claiming the lives of more than half a million women each year. The majority of these deaths occur in developing nations, and could be averted through emergency obstetrical procedures that are widely available in most developed countries.
Domestic abuse is the leading cause of injury to women in the United States.
More than half of female murder victims are killed by a former or current male partner, and an estimated one in four women are assaulted by their partners. The Center for Violence Research and Prevention has analyzed the prevalence and predictors of domestic violence against women, and the efficacy of legal and social measures to reduce these injuries. Mailman School researchers have focused public attention on human rights violations against women all over the globe. FGM is associated with severe psychological and physical trauma, and can lead to long-term complications that cripple a woman's sexual life and compromise her health. Professor Yamin has also collaborated with PHR to report on the forced sterilization of indigenous people in Chiapas, Mexico.