Women Making a Difference in Global Health

Elena Hurtado has led the design of several key national strategies for maternal and child health, nutrition, family planning, and HIV/AIDS. Read Elena's Story... Source: URC-CHS

Women are the backbone of most societies – as mothers, caregivers, household managers, participants in civil society, and contributors to formal and informal economies. In the developing world, women perform 90 percent of the work, including most of the agricultural work. Without good health care, including family planning and reproductive health, women cannot make these contributions to their families and communities. With good health, women have more opportunities to obtain a basic education and earn income and are then more likely and better able to provide these same advantages for their children and communities.

Launched on International Women's Day (March 8, 2008), USAID's "Women Making a Difference in Global Health" series highlights women whose work through USAID-supported projects has a positive impact on the health and lives of other women, families, and communities. What follows are profiles of powerful women who make strong contributions in the best ways they can, and USAID is proud to honor them.

Please check back over the next several weeks as USAID adds to the "Women Making a Difference in Global Health" series.

In Guatemala, Pabla Moreno Milian and many other young women are working to reduce maternal mortality in their communities. These exceptional leaders, known as Mayan auxiliary nurse-midwives, are involved in a program developed to place skilled birth attendants in remote Mayan communities, where a lack of acceptance of modern obstetric techniques remains a threat. Read more...	Dr. Rita Leavell works on behalf of Jordan's 2.5 million women to improve the early detection of breast cancer, the second leading cause of death of women in that country. Dr. Leavell's efforts have helped establish the Jordan Breast Cancer Program, whose five-year goal is to detect at least 70 percent of breast cancer cases in the early, curable stages. Read more...
Dr. Nafsiah Mboi is grappling with more than just the vastness of Indonesia as she tackles the challenge of stemming the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country. She's also combating gender inequity and low status of women, which impairs their ability to prevent AIDS. Read more...	Dr. Olga Chernobrovkina is a leading expert in quality improvement in Russia who runs innovative improvement efforts for HIV/AIDS care that involve providers from more than 100 hospitals and city AIDS centers, social services organizations, and nongovernmental organizations. Read more...
"SASA! A Film About Women, Violence and HIV/AIDS" tells the story of two courageous women who triumphed over gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS and gained power that helped them organize, become activists in their communities, and build meaningful and rewarding lives. Read more...	For Dr. Sudha Basnet, newborn health has always been an important part of her work as a pediatrician. She is working to introduce and expand international best practices on newborn care in Nepal – a country challenged to help and save newborns, who are often born at home without assistance from a skilled birth attendant. Read more...
Keziah Kapesa is a registered nurse-midwife who advocates the integration of HIV testing and family planning (FP) services in Tanzania and works closely with local communities to bring awareness about the public's need and desire for the integration of HIV and FP services. Read more...	Worknesh Kereta, who is referred to by many as "mother of the youth," has focused her efforts on serving those who most need services and support: women, youth, and people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia. Read more...

>>> Read more stories from the Women Making a Difference in Global Health Series