Critical shortage in midwives, poor working conditions, uneven distribution between urban and rural areas, and negative perception of the midwifery profession, are some of the challenges that hinder midwives ability to provide quality care in Malawi.

Nicola Mendelsohn gets top Facebook job - and insists on working a four-day week so she can see her family.

The importance of a woman as a mother in every family and society is invaluable. Today, as you read this, I invite you to celebrate your mother and think about her life from the time you were in her womb. I also request all readers, both women and men, to become advocates for safer and more respectful motherhood in Nepal and around the world.

Mande Limbu joined four other maternal health experts in a discussion of the challenges impeding quality care and the steps being taken to address disrespect and abuse during childbirth at the Wilson Center on May 2, 2013.

Many governments have reduced maternal death rates regardless of the wealth of their country. This is due to one key ingredient, political will – and this was in abundance at today's Westminster round table discussion.

Every year, on 11th April, India observes National Safe Motherhood Day so that citizens, communities and other stakeholders take a pause and deliberate on the maternal health situation in the country and look at what interventions are working and what more is needed to be done.

The National Health Bill will see an increased proportion of the national budget spent on health. However, it also contains some dangerous clauses.

It is crucial for midwives to understand women’s right to respectful maternity care and why it is so important for women’s rights to be respected during birth. Disrespect and abuse during childbirth cannot be eliminated without the engagement of midwives.

Healthy mothers make a healthy world. This is our chance to make a healthy Nigeria.

Samjhana Phuyal, 28, is a social worker and programme officer at the Rural Women's Development and Unity Centre, and a member of the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood

Felicity Ukoko says in some countries it's not unusual for women to be kept prisoner and made to work on the maternity wards until their families can pay the bill.

Betsy McCallon, Executive Director of  the White Ribbon Alliance, argues that women’s health must stay at the heart of the post 2015 development agenda, not only to save lives and advance economic development, but to protect environmental sustainability, and to advance wellbeing, equity and social justice. - See more at: http://www.whiteribbonalliance.org/index.cfm/news-blogs/wra-blogs/transforming-promises-into-reality/#sthash.6WPJINNz.dpuf

Rose Mlay stresses that good communication between organizations like White Ribbon Alliance and the community, more broadly leads to respect and trust with families and the community at large.

Samjhana Phuyal, of Nepal’s White Ribbon Alliance (the Safe Motherhood Network Federation), describes how child marriage still haunts her own family.