First Session of the Permanent Forum of People of African Descent

Launch of Fact Sheet on Maternal Mortality and Maternal Health

The State of Maternal Mortality and Maternal Health of Women and Girls of African Descent in the Americas

Objectives
The objectives of this event are to launch the inter-agency (UNFPA/UN-Women/UNICEF/PAHO) Fact Sheet on Maternal Mortality and Maternal Health of Women and girls of African descent in the Americas.
In doing so the Launch will be an opportunity:

• To raise awareness about the state of maternal health and the high mortality rates among women and girls of African descent; 
• To advocate for more and better data on the health situation of women and girls of African descent; 
• To highlight the role of the broader social, economic and political determinants influencing the health and well-being of women and girls of African descent, particularly their sexual and reproductive health and rights; and 
• To propose solutions for improving maternal health and reducing and preventing maternal mortality among people of African descent.

Format and focus (75 - minutes from 1:15PM to 2:30PM)
The event will bring together maternal health experts and human rights activists. It will open with remarks by a high-level representative followed by a moderated conversation with a panel of leaders and experts on maternal health. The interactive guided discussion will focus on social determinants of health for women of African descent in particular issues related to maternal health and maternal mortality among women and girls of African descent. The event will also highlight the targeted recommendations from the fact sheet for improving maternal health and reducing and preventing maternal mortality among women and girls of African descent. It is foreseen that two or more member states will co-sponsor the event.

Moderator:

• Dominique Day – Member of Working Group of Experts for People of African Descent
• Remarks - Pre-recorded remarks Permanent Representative Colombia
• Presentation of Fact Sheet - Monica Ferro (UNFPA)

Panelists:

• Gay McDougall - Member Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
• Ana Paula Barreto - Director of the Transnational Birth Equity at the National Birth Equity Collaborative (NBEC) Fernanda Lopes - Independent Researcher
• Gaynel Curry - Independent Expert of the Permanent Forum of People of African Descent Closing – Moderator

Agenda

1. (4) minutes Introduction of panelists session run of show and expected objectives by moderator 
2. (4) minutes Opening Remarks - Colombia 
3. (10) minutes Presentation of the data/findings/recommendations 
4. (30) minutes Panel discussion 
5. (20) minutes Q&A 
6. (2) minutes Closing - moderator 
7. (5 minutes Buffer Time)