Maternal Health and Equity: Financing, Innovation, and Care
Maternal health is a cornerstone of community well-being — yet it remains underfunded, fragmented, and too often siloed from broader health and development agendas. From sustainable financing and digital innovation to maternal mental health and climate resilience, investing in women’s health systems is both urgent and transformative. Ending period poverty, strengthening maternal and child care, and supporting coalitions of African-led NGOs are not just health issues — they are equity and justice imperatives.
This session will explore how to scale maternal health solutions through blended finance, digital tools, and community-based models, while ensuring women’s voices and leadership are at the center.
Speakers
Marc Sklar — Executive Director of Babies and Mothers Alive USA, partnering with governments in Uganda to transform reproductive, maternal, and newborn health.
Melody Westen — CEO of Embrace Global, with two decades of nonprofit leadership experience in sustainable infrastructure, development, and strategy.
Inaara Merani — Development and Marketing Fellow at WAJAMAMA, supporting fundraising, partnerships, donor engagement, and communications to advance community-driven maternal and child health solutions.
Pamela Ruiz — Chief Business Development Officer at Inteleos, focused on equity, access, and agency in global healthcare systems.
Pompy Sridhar — India Director of MSD for Mothers.
What to Expect
Financing maternal health – Explore blended finance, coalitions, and private sector engagement to build sustainable systems.
Innovating for access – Learn how digital health platforms improve maternal and newborn care in low-resource settings.
Centering maternal mental health – Highlight community-based approaches that support women during pregnancy and the postnatal period.
Eliminating barriers – Discuss the elimination of period poverty and its link to broader maternal and reproductive health equity.
Integrating climate and care – Examine how climate stress impacts reproductive health and what resilience strategies are needed.
Why Join?
Reframe maternal health as a driver of equity, resilience, and development.
Gain practical insights into financing, innovation, and coalition-building.
Share experiences from African-led NGOs and grassroots health networks.
Walk away with strategies to strengthen maternal health systems for long-term impact.
Who Should Attend?
Maternal and child health practitioners and advocates.
Funders and policymakers advancing gender and health equity.
NGOs and coalitions building integrated maternal health systems.
Anyone committed to advancing maternal health as a global priority.