WRA also supports country-led advocacy initiatives to improve working conditions for midwives in nations where midwives face extraordinary staffing shortages, inadequate medical supplies at health facilities, and public scrutiny. WRA’s national-level efforts develop advocacy campaigns that seek to improve the public perception of midwives and mobilize communities to become advocates in improving the working conditions of midwives. As part of HPP, WRA has also helped form parliamentary coalitions that advocate for safe motherhood and garner support from other government leaders to commit greater resources to increase workforce numbers and improve working conditions at service delivery facilities. WRA also provides technical assistance to midwives to strengthen their capacity to provide high-quality services.

"Throughout my midwifery training I became passionate about maternal health and committed to raising awareness about the issues faced by mothers worldwide. I spent two weeks with Rose Mlay of the White Ribbon Alliance Tanzania, witnessing the work of the organization, as well as working with midwives at the Temeke Municipal Hospital in Dar es Salaam. We observed the reality and challenges that the incredible midwives and health workers faced on a daily basis." by Tessa Dunning, WRA Member & Midwife

"Delaying a girl's marriage through education not only decreases her risk of injury and death during pregnancy and childbirth, it also means she will have access to information about safe sexual behaviour, family planning and the opportunity to pursue a career which will benefit her, her family and, when she is ready, her own children." a blog by Brigid McConville

The Safe Motherhood Program - University of California, San Francisco, was created in 2002 with the goal of preventing maternal deaths by promoting women's health and human rights. Since then, the international team, led by Professor Suellen Miller, has worked tirelessly to research interventions which may reduce the number of unnecessary deaths from complications of pregnancy and childbirth.

Last month, WRA staff led an advocacy workshop with midwives and government officials from both Anglophone and Francophone Africa in association with the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM). The workshop focused on strengthening midwifery through the adoption or adaptation of  ICM standards and competencies for midwifery education, practice and regulation as well as engaging midwives in advocating for themselves and their profression.