Previous:
FT3
PFMD Annual Report 2023
Motherhood Collective Impact Programme
By virtue of how our health systems have evolved,
women and maternal health is often a secondary issue within a given political, scientific, or societal agenda by decision-makers.
Our focus is on a number of key issues, such as tackling the lack of information on the safety of medicine (medication) use during pregnancy and breastfeeding, highlighting the need for truly women-centered care, and shining a spotlight on the need for proper gender representation in clinical research and development.
The Motherhood Collective Impact Programme had a year of significant strides in promoting not only maternal health, but also women-centered health research and development (R&D). The MCIP team and partners contributed to the Innovation Equity Forum’s Women’s Health R&D Opportunity Map, participating in several sub-committees including Data & Modeling, Social & Structural Determinants, Female-Specific Conditions, and Partnerships, where we brought insights on how to enable productive collective action.
We supported the dissemination of the report through Safe Motherhood Week 2023, with a campaign themed “Prioritizing Women, including Mothers, in Health Research & Development.”
This theme underscored the urgent need for an equitable approach to health research, focusing on the critical yet often overlooked area of women's health.
The aim of the Motherhood Collective Impact Program (MCIP) is to address the most challenging issues in maternal health by taking a new, co-impact, and systems-based approach.
Women’s health, including women’s health equity, the safety of medicine used in pregnancy and breastfeeding, women-centered health, and sex/gender in clinical research and development, is not viewed as a priority. Existing gaps in women-centered care invariably have a societal impact that is often not considered or measured. Looking forward to 2024, the MCIP team will accelerate efforts to advance collective action on women-centred care and R&D.
Safe Motherhood Week
2023 Overview
Safe Motherhood Week 2023 was a cornerstone of our programme’s efforts to elevate the discourse around women’s health and R&D.
The campaign aimed to address the historical neglect of women’s health in political, scientific, and economic agendas and to advocate for a more inclusive and gender-sensitive approach in health research.
120,600
Views
1,540
Interactions
The campaign content was viewed over 120,600 times and received over 1,540 interactions, engaging a broad audience and generating meaningful conversations about the necessity of prioritizing women’s health.
Women’s Health R&D Opportunity Map Report
A central feature of this year’s Safe Motherhood Week was to support the launch of the Innovation Equity Forum’s Women’s Health R&D Opportunity Map Report.
Key findings from the report include:
Underinvestment
Women’s health remains significantly underfunded compared to other areas of health research.
Research Gaps
There is a critical lack of comprehensive data on women’s health, which hampers the development of targeted interventions and solutions.
These findings stress the importance of addressing the unique healthcare needs of women, who often play a crucial role as caregivers and are thus central to family health dynamics.
Panel Session
at the Patient Engagement Open Forum (PEOF)
As part of Safe Motherhood Week, we hosted an interactive panel session titled “Prioritizing Women, including Mothers, in Health Research & Development” at the Patient Engagement Open Forum (PEOF), an event co-elevating the future of patient engagement in healthcare.
This session provided a platform for a diverse group of experts to discuss the gaps in women-centered care and explore collaborative solutions.
Dr. Eleanor Nwadinobi, an esteemed international health expert, moderated the panel with key speakers, including:
Dr. Rishma Pai
Honorary Consultant Gynaecologist in India and former President of leading gynecological organizations.
Dr. Metin Gülmezoglu
Formerly with the World Health Organization’s Department of Reproductive Health and Research.
Ru-Fong Cheng
Director of Women’s Health Innovations & Gender Equality Division at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Marjolein Willemen
Medical Policy & External Collaborations Lead at Novartis and Project Lead for IMI ConcePTION.
The session fostered rich discussions on the importance of prioritizing women’s health and explored opportunities for partnership and collaboration to address existing research and development gaps.
Impact and
Next Steps
Safe Motherhood Week 2023 was instrumental in raising awareness and driving forward the agenda for women-centered health research.
The engagement and insights gained from this year’s activities have set a strong foundation for continued advocacy and action.
Looking ahead, the Motherhood Collective Impact Programme is committed to building on the momentum created, focusing on the following areas:
Advocacy
Continue to advocate for increased investment in women’s health research and address gender disparities in R&D.
Collaboration
Strengthen partnerships with stakeholders across sectors to drive impactful change.
Research
Support and promote research initiatives that address the specific health needs of women and mothers.
Financial Report
To achieve sustainable societal outcomes, The Synergist follows a holistic approach that combines purpose, strategy, and ideas.
That’s also true in the case of this program, where The Synergist continues to invest even when external support is dwindling.
0 €
Turnover
20 658 €
Project expenses
Total expenses for MCIP Projects
20 658 €
Conclusion
The achievements of Safe Motherhood Week 2023 and contribution to the Women’s Health R&D Opportunity Map Report mark a significant step forward in our collective mission.
We remain dedicated to advancing women’s health and look forward to continued progress and collaboration in the coming year.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all partners, panelists, and participants who contributed to the success of Safe Motherhood Week 2023 and supported the Motherhood Collective Impact Programme’s goals.
Your commitment and collaboration are vital to achieving our vision of equitable and sustainable healthcare for all women.
