This study examines global incentives to reduce maternal mortality, namely the fifth Millenium Developmnet Goal to reduce maternal mortality with 75% by 2015. More specifically it examines maternal mortality and obstetric care in situations of emergency. When exposed to extreme situations the risks of negative pregnancy- and delivey outcomes are increased. Data was collected from seconday sources and from interviews with health staff with experiences from humanitarian work in the field. The findings were analyzed using a theoretical framework explaining maternal mortality be referring to both direct and indirect causes. The two theoretical models used in the study are similar and reminds of each other when explaining maternal mortality. One is based on the assumption that an obstetric complication has occurred and differnt delays in recieving care is the main cause maternal mortality, whilst the other theory is more in depth and elaborates the underlying causes. The first theory is used a base tto analyze the data after which the other theory is applied in order to introdue a deeper dimension to the analysis. The findings suggest that direct causes accounts for 80 per cent of all maternal deaths, homorrhage being the largest, including in disasters. Further causes are infections, unsafe abortions, eclampsia and obstructed labor. Also, underlying socail factors such as gender inequality indirectly has a negative impact on maternal mortality. Moreover, findings suggest that obstetric care is prioritized in disaster relief response.

This study seeks to explore what conditions contribute to sexual violence against refugees in conflict-induced humanitarian settings by focusing particularly on whether the physical and social insecurity in refugee camps may affect the reported levels of sexual violence. This study uses the method of structured focused comparison to study and compare the two Jordanian refugee camps Zaatari and Azraq during the period of 2014–2019. In particular, this thesis argues that high physical and social insecurity in conflict-induced humanitarian settings will lead to higher levels of sexual violence against refugees. By borrowing from the literature on conflict-related sexual violence, this study seeks to contribute to the scarce literature on sexual violence in humanitarian settings and explore the possible links between the occurrence of and explanations for this violence. Albeit modestly, the main findings suggest that the hypothesis is supported as the levels of physical and social insecurity seem to correspond with the expected variation in levels of reported sexual violence. Nevertheless, data limitations and other challenges call for caution and future research is needed to establish a more profound basis for this phenomenon.