WRA Voices: Changing Lives for Mothers & Newborns

Dr. Farhana Ahmad White Ribbon Alliance Bangladesh May 6, 2012

In some cultures white symbolises mourning; in others it symbolises hope and life. Our white ribbon is dedicated to the memory of all girls and women who died needlessly in pregnancy and childbirth.

WRA Mission
The WRA is a grassroots movement that builds alliances, strengthens capacity, influences policies, harnesses resources and inspires action to save the lives of women and newborns around the world.

Global Advocacy Objectives

Governments Held to Account to Improve Maternal Health Health Workers Better Supported to Provide Care for Women A Standard Established for Respectful Maternity Care Rights Realised for Girls and Women A Strengthened Alliance

National Objectives
The right policies Sufficient resources Delivery and implementation of commitments Girls and women have the information they need to demand a safe pregnancy and childbirth

Nepal
Successes
Safe Motherhood and Neonatal Health Bill Raising voice and making safe motherhood a national issue when it was not on anyone's horizon in Nepal in 1996 Keeping the pressure on the Government and Donors to continue to work in this issue and creating a large network of active NGO volunteers

Nepal
Challenges
Lack of secretariat support Lack of funds to train members on technical issues Poltical instability

Yemen
Successes
Safe Age of Marriage Bill Development of a film, Upcoming Hope which talks about the 4 delay model Advocacy for safe motherhood among youth A committee of alliance in 1 new governorate

Yemen
Challenges
Limited administrative and financial capacity within the Alliance. Limited understanding of the concept of volunteer work. Limited independent financial resources for the alliance

Pakistan
Successes
Grant awarded to promote Magnesium Sulphate as a norm for the prevention and treatment of Eclampsia Local chapters in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces A documentary on the importance of skilled birth attendants

Pakistan
Challenges
Decentralising of the Federally administered Ministry of Health to the provincial level Continuity of vertical programmes in the health sector,accessibility to health services and availability of skilled birth attendants

Bangladesh
Successes
Analysis of the National Budget to understand the allocations of funds for maternal health Orientation of the key influencers for maternal health -Parliamentarians -Media -Leaders of influence Talkshows highlighting priority issues for maternal health with policymakers and lawmakers Identification of key strategies to promote public sector accountability for maternal health

Bangladesh
Challenges:
Retention of skilled workforce for maternal and newborn health Single donor dependence Keeping volunteers engaged in the work of the Alliance

India
Successes
Social accountability at the grassroots level through, -public hearing -checklist to track availability of services at the health centers -verbal maternal death audits -working with media and elected representatives -mobilisation on entitlements

India
Systematic policy review and a subsequent design of a grassroots campaign on birth preparedness and complication readiness 50 celebrity champions mobilised in promoting safe motherhood awareness

Challenges Funding and sustainability Lack of support for social accountability programmes Maintaining volunteerism and finding Technical Assistance for the State Alliances

India

Indonesia
Successes
Broadcast Partnership with Radio Republic of Indonesia First Lady Patron Social Media and partnering with youth clubs, universities and midwifery academies Health Promotion Program on Clean & Healthy Behavior and Safe Motherhood in 5 provinces and 10 Districts with MOH

Indonesia
Alert Villages- Desa Siaga
Mother and child health books Monthly village forum attended by the Head of Village, Head of Sub-District, youth organizations and religious leaders Educational outreach programs for teenage girls, ages 15 and above

Indonesia
Challenges
Advocacy in 17,000 islands , divided into 33 provinces, 560 districts and more than 70,000 villages which have their own priorities which are political issues

We need to break the silence around maternal deaths. To do that, we need your voice and the voices of your friends, families, and policymakers to send a clear message: Invest in Women -- It Pays! -Women Deliver

Thank you!
www.whiteribbonalliance.org