PRIO and the Norwegian Centre for Humanitarian Studies have recently launched the research project "Armed Conflict and Maternal Health in Sub-Saharan Africa", led by senior researcher Gudrun Østby. In relation to this project, we arrange a seminar where representatives of organizations and government agencies that work practically on maternal health-related projects are invited. In the seminar we will introduce our research project, and we welcome input and perspectives from practitioners and policy-makers in order to ensure that our research will be relevant to policy.

We hope that the following questions may serve to inform, but not limit, the discussion:

  1. What are the most salient maternal health research priorities from a policy perspective?
  2. What are the most appropriate/relevant indicators of various issues related to maternal health, such as family planning, antenatal care and obstetrical care?
  3. What factors determine the selection of areas of operations?
  4. What are the most important/relevant maternal health interventions in conflict and post-conflict settings, and how can their effectiveness be studied?

Program

10:00 Welcome

10:05 Gudrun Østby: Introduction to the project Armed Conflict and Maternal Health in Sub-Saharan Africa

10:20 Short introductions (3-4 min) from all the organizations on how they work in the field with the topic of maternal health and the relevance of armed conflict

  • Care (Lisa Sivertsen)
  • Changemaker (Rune André Tveit)
  • Fokus (Jon Rian & Sissel Thorsdalen)
  • MSF Norway (Monica Thallinger)
  • Norwegian Church Aid (Haldis Kårstad)
  • Save the Children (Kim Terje Loraas)
  • UNFPA (Luc de Bernis)
  • UNICEF (Kim Gabrielli)
  • NORAD (Lene Lothe)
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Tore Godal)

11:00 Plenary discussion

12:00 - 13:00 Lunch and end of seminar

This seminar is by invitation only.