Their Voices to Be Heard: It’s What Women Want
Their Voices to Be Heard: It’s What Women Want

Their Voices to Be Heard: It’s What Women Want

Girls and women have spoken. Now, it’s up to decision makers to listen – and act – on their demands.

International Day of Maternal Health and Rights 2018 was the launching pad for the global What Women Want campaign to hear directly from 1 million women and girls about their top priority for quality reproductive and maternal healthcare services. Initially conceptualized and led in India by White Ribbon Alliance India – who heard from more than 157,000 women – they addressed women’s demands through a national advocacy campaign and subsequent government initiative to provide respectful maternity care.

We heard demands from women and girls living in cities and villages, through online activities and at major global events. Organizations and individuals mobilized with enthusiasm, knowing that when healthcare is informed by the people it’s meant for, it’s better healthcare.

As stage one of the global What Women Want campaign draws to a close, having heard from 1,187,738 women and girls (and counting) across 114 countries, we are humbled by the trust they put in White Ribbon Alliance the more than 300 partners who mobilized responses, and committed to making sure their voices are heard, and acted upon. Women like Arlene from Tanzania, who wants free access to basic services, and a woman from West Bengal, who wants her care providers to be friendly.

Stage two starts at the Women Deliver 2019 Conference, where girls’ and women’s requests will be revealed and we’ll begin planning country-level dialogues that will take a deeper dive into these requests with individuals, organizations, health officials and others who have a stake in providing and receiving quality reproductive and maternal healthcare.

Girls and women have spoken. Now, it’s up to decision makers to listen – and act – on their demands. So bookmark the What Women Want campaign website and follow us on Twitter for the latest information about how you can move from active listener to change maker.  Together, we can amplify the demands of girls and women to catalyze action for improved reproductive and maternal healthcare.