The Woman Friendly Hospital Initiative in Bangladesh setting: standards for the care of women subject to violence.

The Woman Friendly Hospital Initiative is part of the overall strategy aimed at overcoming a situation of high maternal mortality in Bangladesh. It has evolved from the reality of 14% of maternal deaths being associated with violence. A key of the initiative is the management of violence against women. Training courses for doctors developed through a process of multi-sectoral consultation. The focus is on effecting a change in the perceptions, emotions, attitude, knowledge and skills of providers and nurturing leadership. Copyright 2002 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics