Background

Women and Health: Together for the Future’s Founding Members and Board of Directors, committed women and men, who are academics, community organizers and activists from over 22 countries. They educate, advocate and implement programs to improve women’s health around the globe. WHTF began in 1991 as a taskforce of The Network and hopes to continue this collaboration with The Nework:TUFH. In 2003, GHETS began providing financial support to increase the impact of WHTF. In 2019, WHTF was registered as an entity in the Republic of South Africa; the office is currently located at the Faculty of Community Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape.

Central Tenets

1. Vision: A world where healthy empowered women are recognized and contribute to their communities, where gender equity is a reality for all and women’s human rights are respected.

2. Mission: WHTF mission is to Work, Help, Teach and Fund as the foundation to inspire and empower women to improve their lives.

3. Focus: There are currently three focal areas of work: Sexual and Reproductive Health, Maternal and Newborn Health, and Violence against Women and Children. WHTF will also address arising issues of importance such as COVID-19

Achievements

• 45 seed grants ($3000 each) in 11 developing countries that addressed violence against women, safe motherhood, family planning, nutrition, cervical and breast cancer, HIV, refugee/IDP health, men’s participation and adolescent health.
• The Women’s Health Learning Package (WHLP), a comprehensive educational tool incorporating case studies and discussion in global, regional and country settings. The 3rd Edition (2019) provides 9 modules on important women’s health topics.
• Active listserv of over 200 professionals
• Website and online resources
• Webinars on women and health topics
• Publications and presentations at international meetings