White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood - Global

WRA members tailor the messages of the global effort to their own communities in order to raise awareness and promote safe practices. Members come together at international events like an April, 2001 march to the Taj Mahal that included national and international leaders, WRA members, and NGOs, among others. Participants wore white ribbons to draw attention to the fact that maternal mortality remains high and can be prevented. In addition, the international conference "Saving Mothers' Lives: What Works" was held in India October 3-6, 2002. The White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood/India in collaboration with the global White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood brought together experts and champions in safe motherhood from 35 nations to share best practices. Awards were presented to safe motherhood champions; this presentation echoed the yearly WRA Global Contest, which recognises organisations that have designed awareness-raising campaigns at the community, policy, or health service-delivery level.

WRA also publishes practical guides and fact sheets. At a Curtain Raiser prior to the October, 2002 conference, a press kit included the following fact sheets:

• General Safe Motherhood

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• Hidden Suffering: Disabilities From Pregnancy and Childbirth in Less Developed Countries (PDF format)

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• Healthy Mothers and Healthy Newborns: Policy Perspectives on Newborn Health (PDF format)

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• Maternal Mortality: Fact Sheets

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In addition, the WRA has published "Awareness, Mobilization, and Action for Safe Motherhood: A Field Guide" (in Spanish, French, and English), which is intended to provide organisations working in developing countries with practical guidance on ways to participate in the WRA. A Technical Resource Series is also available.

Women, Pregnancy, Childbirth, Children, Health.

The Alliance aims to foster grassroots efforts that complement the work of the Safe Motherhood Initiative (SMI). The SMI is a global movement launched in 1987 to improve maternal health and to reduce the number of maternal deaths in half by 2000. The SMI is led by a partnership of international organisations.

The WRA reports that, despite progress, there are still wide disparities between the rich and poor in the use of safe and life-saving maternity care services. Poor, illiterate women have very limited access to quality services. The WRA claims that a woman dies from pregnancy-related complications every minute around the world.