WRA MEMBERS MATTER 1

Aliansi Pita Putih Indonesia (APPI), WhiteRibbon Alliance Indonesia has been busy witha two month Safe Motherhood Awareness

Campaign in May and June, called “Gebyar SafeMotherhood.” The campaign was structured aroundthe theme of birth preparedness and complicationreadiness and aimed to elicit active communityparticipation, strengthen partnerships amongstakeholders, and advocate for policy change. InJavanese, gebyar means a bright flash of light tobring attention to something— in this case, SafeMotherhood. The campaignraised awareness that everypregnancy is at risk, and didso by collaborating withnumerous stakeholders inmultiple sectors of society,from community membersand celebrities to NGOs andprivate businesses.

The timeframe of May and June was chosen tocoincide with multiple special events, including:Kartini Day on April 21 (named for a national herowho died of postpartum hemorrhage), TheInternational Day of the Midwife on May 5, the 8thAnniversary of APPI on May 8, and the Anniversaryof IBI (Indonesian Midwives Association) on June 24.

The campaign included 11 different activities andover 2,500 participants. Among the activities was aPeace March of Pregnant Women in Jakarta toraise community awareness toward giving muchneeded attention and assistance to pregnant women.Approximately 700 people participated in the March,including representatives of the Ministry of WomenEmpowerment, National Council of Women, UNFPA,USAID, private businesses, and more than 30 famouscelebrities and movie stars. The March helpedcommunity members realize that Safe Motherhood isnot only a health issue but also a fundamental

human right. The March strengthened the network ofSafe Motherhood stakeholders and encouragedcorporate social responsibility.

Another campaign activity was the Bakti Social,which provided a free health clinic to communitymembers in Jakarta, with services such as antenataland postnatal care, family planning, andimmunizations. Over five hundred communitymembers participated. The event was undertaken toexpose the need for accessible health and familyplanning services — which was underscored by thelarge number of people seeking care. The Bakti Socialwas held in collaboration with IBI, supported by

Gebyar Safe Motherhood Campaign in Indonesia

For Safe Motherhood

The WhiteRibbon

Alliance

continued on page 6

WRAMEMBERSMATTERVOLUME 4, ISSUE 3 SEPTEMBER 2007

I N S I D E :

WRA News 2

RUN Celebration 3

Burkina Faso (French) 4

Burkina Faso (English) 5

Hesperian Handbook 6

WABA Men’s Initiative 7

WRA Board Meeting 8

In Javanese,gebyar meansa bright flash

of light tobring attentionto something— in this case,

SafeMotherhood.

2 WRA MEMBERS MATTER learn more at

For Safe Motherhood

The WhiteRibbon

Alliance

The White Ribbon is dedicated to the memory of all women who

have died in pregnancy and childbirth. It is a symbol that unitesthe individuals, organizations, and

communities who are workingtogether to make pregnancy and

childbirth safe for all women and newborns.

WRA MEMBERS MATTERis published by the

White Ribbon Alliance for SafeMotherhood

Global Secretariat One Thomas Circle, NW • Suite 200

Washington, D.C. 20005 Tel: (202) 775-9680 Fax: (202) 775-9694

Web: www.whiteribbonalliance.org

Theresa Shaver Executive Director

tshaver@whiteribbonalliance.org

Betsy McCallon Senior Program Advisor

bmccallon@whiteribbonallliance.org

Bridget McHenryProgram Advisor

bmchenry@whiteribbonalliance.org

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Judi Brown, ChairInternational Confederation of Midwives

Email: JMBrown@dohms.gov.ae

Koki AgarwalJHPIEGO/Access Project

Email: kargawal@jhpiego.net

Deborah ArmbrusterPATH/POPPHI Project

Email: darmbruster@path-dc.org

Harry Crossharrycrossusa@comcast.net

Aparajita GogoiWRA India c/o CEDPA

Email: agogoi@cedpaindia.org

Brigid McConvilleEmail: broomfield.hall@virgin.net

Michelle ProsserEmail: midwifemichelle@msn.com

Theresa ShaverWRA Global Secretariat

Email: tshaver@whiteribbonalliance.org

Catharine TaylorHLSP

Email: Catharine.Taylor@HLSP.ORG

Jérémie ZoungranaJHPIEGO-Burkina Faso

Email: zoungrana_jeremie@yahoo.fr

WRA MEMBERS MATTERis made possible through funding from

W R A N E W S

NEWS FROM A BOARD MEMBER

Dear WRA Members,

The work of the National Alliances and the commitment and participation of the

member country organizations is the life blood of this Alliance. And it is you that

keeps us in focus — a focus on each and every woman who is creating a new

life… but may die in that effort. As Board Members, we see the faces of these

women from your photos, video clips or in person, if we have the

opportunity to visit you. It inspires us in our work and pushes us

to do more.

As members of the Board of Directors, we work to provide

guidance and assistance to the Global Secretariat. And they, in

turn, work closely with you. There is truly a commitment by WRA

leadership to listen to those who know best — you. And we only

wish that we could do all that you ask but we do try. I have

personally been with the WRA from the beginning and am very pleased to serve

on the Board. As Treasurer, I have worked with Bridget and Theresa to ensure that

systems are in place to support the WRA. The WRA is an exciting organization that

has seen amazing growth over the past few years. With the National Alliance

staff’s continued commitment and effort — as well as yours — we will strengthen

and create organizational systems to support the WRA over time. We will also

continue to push and advocate for changes in policies and practices that improve

women’s and infants’ health and lives. And more importantly, we will empower

women to speak up and be heard.

As the director of a project that works to save women’s lives from postpartum

hemorrhage (PPH), I was very pleased to see that PPH was chosen by WRA South

Africa as their focus topic during the Malawi WRA workshop in October 2006. The

Prevention of Postpartum Hemorrhage Initiative (POPPHI) has materials available

and welcomes the possibility of interacting with the WRA in South Africa, if

needed. For other WRAs, if the members make a decision to focus and put effort

into the prevention or early treatment of PPH, please let us know and we will

assist as possible.

I will be stepping down from the Board of Directors this year but I remain

committed to assist the WRA in its efforts whenever I can. And I will be reading

this newsletter to find out the latest contributions of WRA to the safe

motherhood movement. Thank you again for all of the incredible work done by

the WRA members around the globe. You are truly inspiring!

—Deborah Armbruster

WRA MEMBERS MATTER 3www.whiteribbonalliance.org

This year marks the twentieth anniversary of theSafe Motherhood Initiative (SMI) launched inNairobi, Kenya. To mark the event at the

Redeemer’s University, Nigeria a Choreo-MusicalDrama titled IBIDUNNI devised and directed byBunmi Julius-Adeoye was staged at the universityauditorium on 5th and 6th of June, 2007.

The performance was colorful yet thought provokingand reflected some of the issues associated with safemotherhood.

At the end of the second day of the production therewas an interactive session whereby members of theaudience including the players, made commentsabout the play and the dramatic content.

Below are some of the comments:

PROF. OYEWALE TOMORI – VICE CHANCELLOR, RUNPart of the money used by the government to refur-bish the big hospitals in the city should have beenused to equip the hospitals in the rural areas wherethese local people attend …we can also ensure safemotherhood through simple basic hygiene.

MR. E. ADEPOJU – CHIEF PHARMACIST, RUNThe drama was educative, the theme well thoughtout and the message precise, very clear as to whatthey want to achieve…. But there is the need tostress the benefit of some of the practices which theplay was trying to promote.

MR AKINTAYO C.O. MANAGEMENT SCIENCE, RUNThe students have performed very well and we havesome lessons to learn. I had the opportunity ofworking in the department of Obstetrics &Gynecology, University College Hospital (UCH),Ibadan, for a long time, there we discovered thatsome people prefer going to the local maternitycentres instead of attending the hospitals. This is dueto the fear of medical tests which they believe wouldgulp money….Nurses should not forget that they aredealing with human beings…they should give thesewomen immediate attention.

MR. BABALOLA – COACH, RUNIt is very important for husbands to support their wives.In the play the husband supported his wife all the way.

MS OYELEYE DAIRO LECTURER, DEPT. OF HISTORY ANDINTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, RUNPost-natal period is very important in safemotherhood …retained placenta is an issue. Also insome parts of the country early marriage system andtotal belief in traditional herbs pose as threats tosafe motherhood.

According to the director of the play, who is also thehead of the Department of Theatre Arts, theperformance was not only an academic exercise butalso the contribution of the school towards achievingthe United Nations Millennium Development Goalnumber five which is to reduce maternal mortality by75% by the year 2015.

For more information, contact Olubunmi Julius-Adeoye at bunobs@yahoo.co.uk

Safe Motherhood Celebrated atRedeemer’s University (RUN) in Nigeria

Comme partout ailleurs, la situation de lamortalité maternelle au Burkina Faso estencore alarmante, 484 décès pour 100 000

naissances. Un chiffre qui ne doit laisser personneindifférent, mais les actions semblent tarder à venirou du moins quasi insuffisantes. C’est pourquoi, dansle but de contribuer à cette lutte, l’Alliance du RubanBlanc Global, grâce au financement de la BanqueMondiale en partenariat avec celle du Burkina Fasoont initié la formation de quelques uns de ses

membres dans le film vidéo et lemontage afin d’apporter plus detémoignages des acteurs, descommunautés, des professionnelsde la santé et décideurs par lesimages. Notons que cetteexpérience tire sa source d’uneexpérience précédente de laTanzanie avec le film vidéo «Play your Part » ou Joue taPartition soutenue par uneéquipe d’experte de l’Alliance duRuban Blanc de l’Engleterre.

Ainsi donc du 22 avril au 6 mai 2007, Huit membresde l’Alliance du Ruban Blanc se sont mis à l’école dufilm vidéo pour apprendre qui pour la première foisnon seulement à manipuler un appareil vidéo, à fairedes prises de vue, à élaborer un scénario ou àparticiper au montage du film vidéo. Parmi les huitparticipants, on compte trois qui sont venus de FadaNgourma et cinq de Ouagadougou, soit six agents desanté et deux communicateurs. Une expérienceunique d’autant plus que cette fois ci, ce ne sont pasles professionnels du cinéma qui tiennent la caméra,mais des amateurs, bénévoles qui veulent aussi àtravers le renforcement de leurs capacités se faireentendre et participer à la cause des femmes quidécèdent sans que personne ne puisse avoirl’opportunité de se prononcer là dessus pour quecela s’arrête. Ils ont pris donc la décision de seformer car ils sont non seulement des professionnelsde la santé ou du développement en contact avec lespopulations et les décideurs, mais aussi et surtoutavec les victimes et leurs parents.

Une formation qui se veut très pratique car en trèspeu de temps, il faut vite apprendre à découvrir lavidéo, ses fonctions et comment cadrer une prise devue en fonction de la position du soleil ou del’objectif visé. Pour ce faire, les explications et

démonstrations sont suivies d’exercices pratiques surle terrain à l’issus desquels l’on découvre davantaged’autres besoins comme ceux de savoir faire desinterviews, de travailler en équipe et de décrire lesparties filmées afin de faciliter le montage.

Faire du cinéma est tout un art, mais un art basé surla réalité des faits, aussi les participants avec leursformateurs ont essayé de décrire le scénario quidevrait leur guider pour ce film en fonction descibles. Au Burkina Faso, on a décidé de prioriser lespopulations et les décideurs comme cibles. Aussi lesétapes du scénario comprennent une présentation dela situation de la mortalité maternelle, son ampleur àtravers les statistiques, les facteurs causes de lamortalité maternelle en utilisant les trois retards(retard pour rechercher les soins, retard pour aller àla formation sanitaire et le retard pour accéder auxsoins adéquats), les actions possibles à tous lesniveaux pour réduire la mortalité maternelle etinfantile et enfin une invite à l’unité d’action àtravers l’adhésion à l’Alliance du Ruban Blanc.

Ce scénario n’est point passif car à toutes les étapes,on donne la parole aussi bien aux professionnels dela santé qu’aux populations afin que chacun puissedonner sa lecture de la situation et sa contribution.Tout se passe comme un forum entre acteurs de lasanté maternelle et néonatale quo veulent à toutprix résoudre un problème qui leur est commun.

Un autre fait non moins important est la grandemobilisation des populations et des agents de santésur le terrain pendant le tournage du film dont leseffets sont multiples. Cette approche participative aété une opportunité de sensibilisation et de conscienti-sation des acteurs sur les questions de mortalitématernelle en même temps qu’elle nous donnel’occasion de recueillir leur opinions et suggestions surces questions. Et enfin pour tous un appel à l’action enfaveur de santé maternelle et infantile.

Bien que le film ne soit pas à sa fin, il suscite déjà ungrand intérêt à tous les niveaux et il est prévu unefois le film terminé de l’utiliser à plusieurs niveauxpour sa diffusion à savoir les télévisions nationales,lors des grandes rencontres et dans les villages. Dureste cette expérience pour l’équipe du Burkina n’estqu’à ses débuts et avec le matériel et lescompétences acquises, l’équipe devrait poursuivrel’expérience en abordant d’autres thèmes plus endétails relatifs à la santé maternelle et infantile.

4 WRA MEMBERS MATTER learn more at

Combattre La Mortalité Maternelle Et InfantilePar L’Image: L’Alliance Du Ruban Blanc DuBurkina Faso S’Y Attaché

The maternal mortality situation in Burkina Faso,estimated at 484 deaths per 100,000 births isextreme. With the objective of contributing to

this fight, the White Ribbon Alliance Global and theBurkina Faso Alliance, with financial support from theWorld Bank, initiated the training of some of itsmembers in videography to gather more evidencefrom stakeholders, including communities, healthprofessionals and decision makers.

From April 22nd to May 6th,2007, eight members of theWRA embarked on videotraining for the first time.Among the eight participants,three came from FadaNgourma and five fromOuagadougou. Six participantswere health workers and twowere maternal healthadvocates. A unique experiencewas that this time it was notprofessional filmmakers whohad the cameras but volunteeramateurs who were using theirexperience to create a voice forthemselves and participate inthe fight against maternalmortality. The training wasmeant to be very practical andparticipatory and within days participants wereinterviewing and filming in their communities.

To make film is an art, but an art basedon reality and facts was whatguided these participants andtheir trainers. In BurkinaFaso, we decided tohighlight the generalpopulation anddecision-makers as thetarget groups. The stages ofthe film consisted of apresentation on maternal mortality, thescale of the problem through statistics,factors causing high maternal mortality usingthe “three delays” (delay to seek care, delay to goto the health center, and delay to access appropriatecare), possible actions at all levels to reduce infantand maternal mortality, and finally an invitation tojoin efforts through membership in the WRA.

The filming was very active because at all stages thepopulation and health professionals were given theopportunity to engage and explain what action theywould take to solve the various problems. It createda forum between different neonatal and maternalhealth professionals who wanted to get to thebottom of a common problem at all costs. Thisparticipative approach was an opportunity tosensitize and work toward changing the behavior ofstakeholders on the issues of maternal mortality at

the same time as it gave the opportunity to gathertheir opinions and suggestions.

Although the film is not finalized yet, it hasalready drawn significant interests at all levels,and it is planned that it will be broadcastthrough different channels, including nationaltelevision, during big meetings and invillages. This experience was just thebeginning for the Burkina team and with thematerials and skills acquired, the team willfollow up with other topics related tomaternal and child health.

—Jérémie ZoungranaNational Coordinator, Burkina Faso

WRA MEMBERS MATTER 5www.whiteribbonalliance.org

Fighting Maternal and Infant Mortality withImages: The White Ribbon Alliance of BurkinaFaso Launches a New Initiative

...This time it was

not professional

filmmakers who

had the cameras

but volunteer

amateurs who

were using their

experience to

create a voice for

themselves...

Women with disabilities often discover that thesocial stigma of disability and inadequate care aregreater barriers to health than the disabilitiesthemselves. A Health Handbook for Women withDisabilities will help women with disabilitiesovercome these barriers and improve their generalhealth, self-esteem, and abilities to care forthemselves and participate in their communities.

This groundbreaking handbook was developed withthe help and experience of women with disabilitiesin 42 countries ; women whose disabilities includeblindness, deafness, amputations, paralysis, learningdifficulties, small stature, epilepsy, arthritis, andcerebral palsy. The book is full of useful advice onorganizing for disability-friendly health care, caringfor daily needs with limited access to equipment,having healthy and safe sexual relationships,choosing family planning methods that work bestwith specific disabilities, preparing for pregnancy andchildbirth, and defending against violence or abuse.

“A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities isan outstanding accomplishment! It combines theexperiences and advice from women with disabilities

throughout the world with up-to-date, professionalhealth information. The book captures the real lifesituations of women with disabilities and theirissues, their experiences and their desires. This bookis a ‘must-have’ for health professionals,international development organizations,international women’s organizations and anyonewho believes in equality for women withdisabilities.”— Susan Sygall, Co-founder and CEO of MobilityInternational USA, and a MacArthur Fellow

Feel free to check out our other downloadablewomen’s health materials, including Where WomenHave No Doctor (also available in Spanish – Dondeno hay doctor para mujeres), A Book for Midwives(coming soon in Spanish – Un libro para parteras),and our Women’s Health Exchange (¡Saludos! inSpanish) newsletters, all available on our website:www.hesperian.org.

Thanks to all of you who continue to make theHesperian Foundation and our books a growingsuccess across the globe!

6 WRA MEMBERS MATTER learn more at

Hesperian proudly announces the publication of our newest book:

A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities

UNFPA and local authorities ofJakarta, and proved that activistsare joining hands with governmentand donor agencies.

Safe Motherhood seminars andworkshops also occurred in variousprovinces, reaching 525 participants,along with several villagesestablishing Desa KIBBLA: “alert villages” whereall community members have plans in place forpregnancy and childbirth.

Other activities ranged from a blood drive tothe launch of a weekly national radiobroadcast to educate the public about SafeMotherhood. Youth were incorporated into thecampaign with an event called RAPPI (Youth APPI)that trained students how to be peer-educators onreproductive health issues. Advocating for policy

change, throughraising awarenessthat 2 Indonesianwomen die everyhour frompregnancy or birthrelatedcomplications,resulted in

promises of increased budget and strategicplanning from politicians.

—Annie Briggs

To download thisbook in its entirety,visit our website:www.hesperian.org

Gebyar Safe Motherhood Campaign in Indonesiacontinued from page 1

Fathers /Men can provide much needed supportto breastfeeding mothers. Research shows that amother is much more likely to breastfeed if her

partner or parents are supportive of her doing so.

The WABA Men’s Initiative was born in October2006. The inaugural meeting was held in Penang,Malaysia, in conjunction with the World Alliance forBreastfeeding Action (WABA) Gender TrainingWorkshop.

WABA Men’s Initiative envisions a world wherebreastfeeding is a cultural norm and where mensupport women and families to feed and optimallycare for their infants and young children, thuscontributing to a just gender equal and healthysociety. The mission is to create an enablingenvironment where men, particularly fathers,participate actively and share responsibilities withwomen in optimally caring for their infants andyoung children, through advocacy, education andcapacity building.

The members are working to increase and enhanceinvolvement of fathers in parenting and supportingbreastfeeding & to increase the participation of men,especially fathers, in childcare and sharing domesticresponsibilities, including raising men’s awareness onwomen’s and children’s rights, reproductive healthissues and safe sex & also support efforts that ensuregreater gender equality in all societies in order tobring about an enabling environment forbreastfeeding, family health and well-being.

Everyone seems to talk about breastfeeding mothersand most pictures of breastfeeding show mothersand babies together. But, what about the father? Isthere really such a thing as a “breastfeeding father”and can he be included in the breastfeedingexperience? If a mother decides to breastfeed is thefather an important member of the breastfeedingteam? Many experienced fathers will answer with aresounding “Yes”. But a new dad might think thathis role in breastfeeding is a minor one. Not so!Studies show that the attitude of the baby’s father isthe most important factor in whether or not amother begins and continues to breastfeed.

New babies crave human contact. They enjoy beingclose enough to hear a heartbeat, feel skin, smelltheir parents, hear the sound of their voices andexperience the on going motion and activity of the

human body. And whynot? They have justemerged from a world wherethey were surrounded by allof these sensations. Whilemother can provide all of thesethrough breastfeeding, dad canprovide them in so many terrific ways.

There are many ways for a father to connect to hisnew infant. First time fathers, especially, need to beencouraged to hold their newborns, because they areoften hesitant to hold the tiny babies. Bringing thebaby to the mother to breastfeed is a great way todemonstrate to the baby that the father can, in fact,meet his baby’s needs. His baby will be well aware ofthe fact that the father is the transportation to thefood.

Since supporting a family in today’s economy canseem overwhelming, the cost savings of breastfeed-ing are also a good benefit for fathers as well asmothers. A family’s income can stretch that much fur-ther if there is no formula to buy, and breastfedbabies generally have fewer health problems, result-ing in lower health care costs. Many feel they can’tafford not to breastfeed. Also a healthier baby is ahappier baby, and there may be fewer long nights ofstaying up with a sick or cranky baby.

The support of a baby’s father can help thebreastfeeding relationship succeed. The father canhead off discouragement, deflect negative commentsfrom friends and relatives, help calm a fussy babyand bring the mother food and drink while she isbreastfeeding. Most importantly the baby’s fathercan remind the new mother that breastfeeding is oneof the most important things she can do to get theirbaby off to a good start in life.

‘”Breastfeeding is enhanced and the nursing couplesustained by the loving support, help, andcompanionship of the baby’s father. A father’s uniquerelationship with his baby is an important element inthe child’s development from early infancy.”

Qamar Naseem Coordinator South Asia

World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA)

WRA MEMBERS MATTER 7www.whiteribbonalliance.org

WABA Men’s Initiative

Most importantly

the baby’s father

can remind the

new mother that

breastfeeding is

one of the most

important things

she can do

to get their baby

off to a good

start in life.

8 WRA MEMBERS MATTER www.whiteribbonalliance.org

For Safe Motherhood

The WhiteRibbon

Alliance

The WRA Board of Directors Meetsin Washington, DC

On June 4th and 5th the WRA Board ofDirectors met at the offices of the GlobalSecretariat in Washington, DC. This meeting

followed a 2-day meeting of the Board in Februaryand a conference call held in April.

As the Board of Directors is responsible for oversee-ing the work of the Global Secretariat, severalfinance and operational issues were addressed atthis meeting. The Board reviewed the financial statusof the Global Secretariat, examining the organiza-tional budget and potential fundraising opportuni-ties. An important function of the Global Secretariatis to provide technical assistance and support andinformation to the global members and national

alliances; the WRA staff inWashington, DC are always insearch of new sources of fundsfor these activities.

The Board also discussed long term strategies for theWRA including how to increase internationalawareness of the WRA and its activities. WRA staff,Directors and global members are urged to representthe WRA at safe motherhood-related events and toshare their experiences with the Global Secretariat.The Board will continue to work with the GlobalSecretariat to develop a long-term plan to raiseinternational awareness of safe motherhood issuesand the work of the WRA members around the world.

The Board of Directors approved AffiliationAgreements presented by National Alliances inBangladesh, Indonesia, Malawi, Nepal, Pakistan andSouth Africa. These alliances join those in Tanzaniaand Zambia as officially-affiliated National Alliancesof the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood.

This meeting also provided Board members with theopportunity to review the responses from the WRAmembers who completed the annual membershipsurvey in May and to prepare for the June 6thAnnual Membership Meeting. The next Boardmeeting will be a teleconference, scheduled forSeptember 12th.

WRA Receives One World Award from BBC

At BBC’s 2007 One World Media Awards, WRA’sparticipatory film “Play Your Part” received a specialaward for development media for “an outstandingand unique contribution to the communicationof sustainable development and human rights.”

Congratulations to the WRA Tanzania team and all involved!

To view the film, visit www.whiteribbonalliance.org/PLAYYOURPART

Want to contribute to the WRA newsletter?Please share technical updates, news from your Alliance,

or member activities or programs with us.

Contact Betsy McCallon at bmccallon@whiteribbonalliance.org with your submission or ideas.