White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood
The White Ribbon Alliance (WRA) not only works to sustain life and hope for all women, but also mourns and honors those women who did not survive pregnancy or childbirthy.
The White Ribbon Alliance is working to create a world where:
- It is a woman's basic human right to achieve optimal health care throughout pregnancy and childbirth for herself and her newborns.
- Women are empowered to demand quality, safe and respectful motherhood services and to help other women do the same.
- Women and newborns have access to essential and life-saving motherhood services and information.
- Women and men come together as active members in the safe motherhood movement, with the knowledge to make decisions that promote safe motherhood within their own families and communities.
- Communities work together to address the effects of poverty, HIV/AIDS, armed conflict, violence against women and children, and gender inequities on safe motherhood.
- Governments set policies in collaboration with women, their communities and other stakeholders to implement programs in support of safe motherhood.
The white ribbon is dedicated to the memory of all women who have died in pregnancy and childbirth. Worldwide, a woman dies of pregnancy-related complications every minute of every day. Most of these deaths can be prevented. The color white was selected because it represents mourning in some countries and hope in others. As we commemorate those who have died, we also have hope for the future.
Since its launch in 1999, the White Ribbon Alliance has been a leader among those holding governments and institutions to account for the tragedy of maternal mortality. With members in 148 countries and National Alliances established in 15 – Burkina Faso, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Nepal, Pakistan, Rwanda, South Africa, Sweden, Tanzania, Uganda, Yemen and Zambia – WRA is amplifying the voices of people suffering from the greatest burden of morbidity and mortality of complications due to pregnancy and childbirth.
Learn more about the White Ribbon Alliance at WhiteRibbonAlliance.org.