More than 2,000 women die in Burkina Faso every year from complications of pregnancy and childbirth. Most of these deaths could have been prevented. Some women die because they cannot reach a health facility capable of treating them, or because they arrive too late. Many lose their lives because their relatives cannot pay the fees demanded by medical personnel. Others die because of shortages - of blood, drugs, equipment or qualified medical staff. Maternal mortality takes its major toll on the poorest and the least educated women and those who live in rural areas, home to 80 per cent of the population. The authorities in Burkina Faso have devoted effort and resources to reducing maternal mortality, with the help of the donor community. However, many pregnant women still cannot obtain the health care they need in time, and pregnancy all too often ends in tragedy. Amnesty International calls for better information and services for family planning, for the government to remove financial barriers to maternal healthcare and for improvements in access to care. To do less is to violate the right to health of the women of Burkina Faso.