White Ribbon Alliance

Last updated
White Ribbon Alliance
Formation1999;24 years ago (1999)
TypeInternational coalition
Chief Executive Officer
Kristy Kade
Website whiteribbonalliance.org

The White Ribbon Alliance (WRA) is an international non-profit organization that advocates for maternal health. The alliance focuses on ending maternal mortality and improving the health of mothers and newborns. The nonpartisan, non-governmental membership organization was initially established in 1999 as the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood. It operates as an alliance convening many global, national and sub-national partners.

The White Ribbon Alliance organises stakeholders' meetings through its National Alliances. It supports reproductive health and reproductive rights. [1]

The White Ribbon Alliance was formed in 1999 as an informal coalition of non-governmental organizations. [2] It is registered as a 501(c)(3) organization in the United States. The organization maintains an extensive network of Alliances and members around the world, including 14 National Alliances in Bangladesh, [3] India, [1] Indonesia, Kenya, [4] Malawi, [5] Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, [6] Pakistan, [7] Uganda, United Kingdom, and Zimbabwe. [8]

In 2011, the White Ribbon Alliance led an effort to create a charter for Respectful Maternity Care that detailed the rights of women who seek maternity care. [9] [1] White Ribbon Alliance India established National Safe Motherhood Day in 2003. The annual observance on 11 April coincides with the birthday of Kasturba Gandhi. [10] As part of its campaign against gender-based violence, the Alliance established the Flint Festival of Rights in 2023. The event included the exhibition of the Red Dress collaborative embroidery project. [11]

The White Ribbon Alliance has received support from the MacArthur Foundation, [12] the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Amref Health Africa. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mother</span> Female parent

A mother is the female parent of a child. A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the case of gestational surrogacy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maternal death</span> Aspect of human reproduction and medicine

Maternal death or maternal mortality is defined in slightly different ways by several different health organizations. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines maternal death as the death of a pregnant mother due to complications related to pregnancy, underlying conditions worsened by the pregnancy or management of these conditions. This can occur either while they are pregnant or within six weeks of resolution of the pregnancy. The CDC definition of pregnancy-related deaths extends the period of consideration to include one year from the resolution of the pregnancy. Pregnancy associated death, as defined by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), are all deaths occurring within one year of a pregnancy resolution. Identification of pregnancy associated deaths is important for deciding whether or not the pregnancy was a direct or indirect contributing cause of the death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sexual and reproductive health</span> State of the reproductive system without evidence of disease, disorders, or deficiencies

Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is a field of research, health care, and social activism that explores the health of an individual's reproductive system and sexual well-being during all stages of their life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Traditional birth attendant</span> Person who provides maternity care informally

A traditional birth attendant (TBA), also known as a traditional midwife, community midwife or lay midwife, is a pregnancy and childbirth care provider. Traditional birth attendants provide the majority of primary maternity care in many developing countries, and may function within specific communities in developed countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arzu Rana Deuba</span> Nepali politician (born 1962)

Arzu Rana Deuba is a Nepali social worker, psychologist and politician, currently serving as a Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Nepali Congress Party of Nepal. She had joined the NC in 1996 and was elected Central Committee member of the party since December 2021. In the 2022 Nepalese general election she was elected as a proportional representative from the Khas people category. She is the wife of former PM Sher Bahadur Deuba.

Abortion in Zimbabwe is available under limited circumstances. Zimbabwe's current abortion law, the Termination of Pregnancy Act, was enacted by Rhodesia's white minority government in 1977. The law permits abortion if the pregnancy endangers the life of the woman or threatens to permanently impair her physical health, if the child may be born with serious physical or mental defects, or if the fetus was conceived as a result of rape or incest. Nevertheless, an estimated 70,000+ illegal abortions are performed in Zimbabwe each year, resulting in around 20,000 maternal deaths.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Health in Tanzania</span>

The 2010 maternal mortality rate per 100,000 births for Tanzania was 790. This is compared with 449 in 2008 and 610.2 in 1990. The UN Child Mortality Report 2011 reports a decrease in under-five mortality from 155 per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 76 per 1,000 live births in 2010, and in neonatal mortality from 40 per 1,000 live births to 26 per 1,000 live births. The aim of the report The State of the World's Midwifery is to highlight ways in which the Millennium Development Goals can be achieved, particularly Goal 4 – Reduce child

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Health Mission</span> Public health initiative in India

The National Health Mission (NHM) was launched by the government of India in 2005 subsuming the National Rural Health Mission and National Urban Health Mission. It was further extended in March 2018, to continue until March 2020. It is headed by Mission Director and monitored by National Level Monitors appointed by the Government of India.Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and the recently launched National Urban Health Mission (NUHM). Main program components include Health System Strengthening (RMNCH+A) in rural and urban areas- Reproductive-Maternal- Neonatal-Child and Adolescent Health, and Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases. NHM envisages achievement of universal access to equitable, affordable and quality health care services that are accountable and responsive to the needs of the people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jill Sheffield</span>

Jill Sheffield advocates internationally for women's sexual and reproductive health and rights as well as decreased maternal mortality. She is the founder of Women Deliver and Family Care International.

Women Deliver is a global advocacy organization that works to generate political commitment and financial investment for fulfilling Millennium Development Goal 5, which is improving maternal health. This is a multifactorial approach, involving access to a healthy diet, clean water and sanitation, health services, and appropriate education during pregnancy and childbirth. Women Deliver is targeted towards reducing maternal mortality, achieving universal access to reproductive health, and improving the lives of girls and women globally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights</span> Non-governmental organization

Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR) is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) that advocates for sexual and reproductive health and rights worldwide. Based in the Global South, they are a membership-driven organization that "works within the rights, justice and feminist frameworks." WGNRR works towards the realization of the full sexual and reproductive health and rights. WGNRR has consultative status with ECOSOC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maternal and child health in Tanzania</span>

Both maternal and child health are interdependent and substantially contributing to high burden of mortality worldwide. Every year, 289 000 women die due to complications in pregnancy and childbirth, and 6.6 million children below 5 years of age die of complications in the newborn period and of common childhood diseases. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), which includes Tanzania, contribute higher proportion of maternal and child mortality. Due to considerable proportion of mortality being attributed by maternal and child health, the United Nations together with other international agencies incorporated the two into Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5. In this regard, Tanzania through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoHSW) adopted different strategies and efforts to promote safe motherhood and improve child survival. Similarly, in an effort to improve maternal and child health, Tanzania's government has declared maternal and child health services to be exempt from user fees in government facilities.

Established in 2005, The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH) is the world’s largest alliance for women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health and well-being, with over 1,400 partner organizations working together through 10 constituency groups: partner governments, donors and foundations, NGOs, adolescent and youth groups, private sector organizations, health professional associations, academic and research institutions, global financing mechanisms, inter-governmental organizations, and UN agencies. PMNCH is hosted by the World Health Organization, based in Geneva.

Abuse during childbirth is generally defined as interactions or conditions deemed humiliating or undignified by local consensus and interactions or conditions experienced as or intended to be humiliating or undignifying. Bowser and Hill's 2010 landscape analysis defined seven categories of abusive or disrespectful care, including physical abuse, non-consented clinical care, non-confidential care, non-dignified care, discrimination, abandonment, and detention in health facilities.

The Abiye Programme is a home-grown comprehensive health initiative formulated to tackle the challenges of maternal mortality and morbidity in Ondo State, Nigeria. It was initiated in 2009 by the Mimiko administration in response to the 2008 Nigeria Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) which put Ondo State as having the worst maternal and child health indices in the southwest of Nigeria. The Abiye programme was also intended to achieve the Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 by 2015. It is a free health program for pregnant women, and young children up to age 5. The Abiye initiative aims at ensuring that maternal health care service delivery in Ondo state is accessible and efficient enough to effect a reduction in the rate of maternal and infant mortality The Abiye model has been recognized by the World Bank as a viable template for achieving the targets of the Millennium Development Goals on maternal health within the African continent Ondo State is the only state in Nigeria that met the MDG indicators of reducing maternal death in the country, surpassing the goal with a 75 percent reduction. By 2016, the Ondo State Government had reduced MMR by 84.9 per cent; from 745 per 100,000 live births in 2009 to 112 per 100,000 live births in 2016 through the Abiye Initiative. The programme is funded by the Ondo State government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women in Zambia</span> Overview of the status of women in Zambia

The status of women in Zambia has improved in recent years. Among other things, the maternal mortality rate has dropped and the National Assembly of Zambia has enacted multiple policies aimed at decreasing violence against women. However, progress is still needed. Most women have limited access to reproductive healthcare, and the total number of women infected with HIV in the country continues to rise. Moreover, violence against women in Zambia remains common. Child marriage rates in Zambia are some of the highest in the world, and women continue to experience high levels of physical and sexual violence.

Black maternal mortality in the United States refers to the death of women, specifically those who identify as Black or African American, during or after child delivery. In general, maternal death can be due to a myriad of factors, such as how the nature of the pregnancy or the delivery itself, but is not associated with unintentional or secondary causes. In the United States, around 700 women die from pregnancy-related illnesses or complications per year. This number does not include the approximately 50,000 women who experience life-threatening complications during childbirth, resulting in lifelong disabilities and complications. However, there are stark differences in maternal mortality rates for Black American women versus Indigenous American, Alaska Native, and White American women.

Gwyneth Helen Lewis is a British physician who is a professor at University College London. She previously served as National Clinical Director for Maternal Health and Maternity Services for the Department of Health. Lewis helped to write Maternity Matters, a strategy that outlined the future of maternity care in the United Kingdom.

Barbara E. Kwast is an epidemiologist, midwife and educator. Her research on the cause of maternal deaths has, according to the UNFPA, contributed to reducing the maternal mortality rates in the world.

Abortion is illegal in Tanzania except to preserve the life of the mother. Under the Tanzanian penal code, health practitioners who perform illegal abortions may receive sentences of up to 14 years in prison, while those who procure abortions for themselves may be sentenced to up to seven years in prison.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "White Ribbon Alliance India endorses 'Respectful Maternity Care' charter for the country on Safe Motherhood Day". The Economic Times. 12 April 2016.
  2. Muza, Sharon (14 March 2017). "White Ribbon Alliance and The Respectful Maternity Care Council - Changing Women's Lives Worldwide". Lamaze International.
  3. George, Joby (28 May 2019). "Safe Motherhood Day: Unite for women's rights for respectful care". The Daily Star.
  4. Joe, Ojwang (22 September 2023). "Lobby launches Respectful Maternity Care campaign to dignify women". Capital News.
  5. 1 2 Mlanjira, Duncan (20 August 2020). "White Ribbon Alliance lobby Malawi Parliament for increase family planning budget". Nyasa Times.
  6. Awofadeji, Segun (23 May 2022). "White Ribbon Alliance, WHO Engage Stakeholders on Workplan for Implementing Self care in Bauchi". This Day.
  7. "Pakistan midwife training programme addresses maternal mortality". UN Women. 19 September 2023.
  8. "White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood Zimbabwe Profile". Kubatana. 8 April 2022.
  9. Al-Makaleh, Bushra; Howard, Heather M.B.; Ateva, Elena (16 August 2017). "RMC is not a Luxury: The Case for Respectful Maternity Care in Humanitarian Settings". ReliefWeb.
  10. Arora, Sumit (11 April 2023). "National Safe Motherhood Day 2023 observed on 11th April". Adda247.
  11. Scott, Cara (13 January 2023). "The Red Dress has come to Bristol". Bristol24/7.
  12. "White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood, Global Secretariat". MacArthur Foundation. Retrieved 24 September 2023.