Governance
Governance reflects the nature of our organisation and the way we do things. We operate in an open way so the community knows we’re accountable for what we do and how we do it.
Maternal Health Matters Inc is:
- a national organisation with members in all States and Territories;
- a community based organisation;
- incorporated as an association in the ACT; and
- a registered charity.
Our Board
We are governed by a seven member Board of Directors.
The role of the Board is to ensure we are carefully governed.
The Board is responsible for setting our strategic direction and for ensuring this is followed through.
Our Constitution
Our Constitution states that the purpose of MHM is to:
- strive to create a world where maternity care – pregnancy, childbirth and transitioning to mothering is safe for all women. To this end MHMs objects are to:
- uphold girl’s and woman’s basic human right to achieve optimal health in her life course in particular, preparation for and throughout pregnancy, childbirth, the first year after birth for themselves and their newborns;
- empower women to demand respectful, quality safe maternity, perinatal and postnatal services;
- ensure girls & women and newborns have access to essential and safe reproductive and maternity services and information;
- ensure that maternal health is inherently a public health strategy by influencing policy development and decision making at international, national, and local levels for the benefit of women and their families;
- influence governments to set policies and implement maternal health programs in collaboration with women, their communities and other stakeholders;
- promote active involvement of women and men to be knowledgeable and make decisions together that promote maternal health within their own families and their communities;
- encourage the utilisation of community development strategies to address the effects of poverty, armed conflict, family violence, violence against girls, women and children, and gender inequalities on maternal health.