Women for Health

Women for Health (W4H) is a development programme brand associated with DAI, an employee-owned international development firm. Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and implemented by DAI's Global Health team in partnership with Save the Children, W4H ran from November 2012 to 2020 in six northern Nigerian states: Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Yobe, and Zamfara. The programme was designed to address Nigeria's severe maternal and child health challenges, particularly in the north, where up to 90 percent of pregnant women deliver without a skilled birth attendant and where social norms can prevent women from receiving care from male health workers. W4H increased the number and capacity of female health workers, supported women's empowerment, and tackled trauma, while improving access to and use of health services. It worked closely with state health and education programmes and took a "building back better" approach in conflict-affected Borno and Yobe, while ensuring sustainability in Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, and Zamfara. A national team led by Dr. Fatima Adamu provided technical support to state-level teams, backed by a senior technical advisory group. The programme also worked with 22 midwifery institutions. As a branded programme rather than a standalone company, W4H's identity is tied to its funder and implementer; its website is hosted on DAI's project page.

Women for Health (W4H) was launched in November 2012 as a programme funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and implemented by DAI, an employee-owned international development firm founded in 1970. DAI's Global Health team led the programme in partnership with Save the Children. The programme was designed to address Nigeria's maternal and child health crisis, which is most acute in the north. According to DAI, Nigeria has the highest number of maternal deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa and high rates of under-5 child mortality, with up to 90 percent of pregnant women in northern Nigeria delivering without a skilled birth attendant. States such as Yobe and Borno were particularly fragile due to insurgency that terrorised young women. Social norms in rural communities often prohibit women from receiving care from male health workers, making female health workers especially important. W4H operated in six northern states: Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Yobe, and Zamfara. It increased the number and capacity of female health workers while supporting women's empowerment and tackling trauma. The programme worked closely with other health and education programmes in the states and took a "building back better" approach in conflict and humanitarian emergency-affected areas of Borno and Yobe, while ensuring the sustainability of progress in Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, and Zamfara. A national team led by Dr. Fatima Adamu provided technical support to state-level teams, backed by a senior technical advisory group. W4H worked with 22 midwifery institutions. The programme ran from 2012 to 2020, advancing Nigeria's journey toward universal health coverage.

• 2020

  W4H programme concluded after running from 2012 to 2020.

• 2012

  Women for Health (W4H) programme launched in November 2012, funded by FCDO and implemented by DAI.

A UK-funded development programme brand focused on improving maternal and child health in northern Nigeria by increasing the number and capacity of female health workers.

• Female health worker training

  Training women to be service providers in six northern Nigerian states.

• Midwifery institution partnerships

  Worked closely with 22 midwifery institutions.

1. 1Nigeria—Women for Health (W4H) · DAI: International Developmentdai.com
2. 2History · DAI: International Developmentdai.com
3. 3Values · DAI: International Developmentdai.com
4. 4Woman for Healthwikidata.org
5. 5Redirecting…dai.com