Global Health

FOR THE WORKING GROUP ON DEVELOPMENT COLLABORATION OF THE FINNISH SOCIETY OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY

Introduction

Sexual and reproductive health and rights are key issues in promoting wellbeing of people in low-income countries.

Safe motherhood – prenatal care and adequate emergency obstetric care – saves the lives of mothers and infants. Family planning empowers women and improves their health and the economy of families.

Finnish gynaecologists have a long tradition of participating in health care programmes in low-income countries through national and international channels, including NGO’s. The Finnish Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology has established a working group to formulate its policies in development collaboration, coordinate its projects and both activate and improve the possibilities of its members to participate in sexual and reproductive health programmes in low-income countries, including collaboration with other organizations and programmes.

Organization

The board of the Society nominates the chair of the working group for three years. The term is renewable once for another three years. The chair elects the members (3–7) of the group. If the chair leaves the post, the group will elect a successor from other members of the team. The chair informs the board of the Society about the composition of the group and the changes in it.

The working group meets face-to-face at least once a year and each time the meeting is called by its chair. Additional meetings can also be organized as teleconferences.

The working group reports annually to the board by September the 30th. This report is published in the annual report of the Society, and also on its web site. The report includes the names of the members of the group, and the summaries of activities and ongoing projects.

The working group will create and update the web site of the Society to inform members about ongoing activities.

Termination of the working group will be decided by the board of the Society.

Finance

Money for activities will be generated through core or project grants from external sources, such as governmental or donor organizations.

The Society will reimburse the expenses for one face-to-face meeting a year.

All financial transactions will be performed via the bank accounts of the Society.

Modus operandi

The ways in which the working group will operate will be evolving, so those listed below are not exclusive.

The working group will

  • generate and update a database of members of the Society with work experience in sexual and reproductive health projects in low-income countries and/or who are interested in participating in new projects. This database will be updated and presented on the web site of the Society, with access to relevant persons who may be in need of professional strengthening in their relevant development projects.
  • liaise with other organizations for the purpose of enabling members of the Society to have contacts for cooperation in interesting sexual and reproductive health projects in low-income countries.
  • identify projects which have an impact on sexual and reproductive health and rights in low-income countries and projects in which the Society and its members are willing to contribute.
  • generate project proposals aiming at intervention in specified countries.
  • activate members of the Society by disseminating relevant information on sexual and reproductive health and rights problems in the context of low-income countries in appropriate forums, e.g. through seminars and articles in the journal of the Society.
  • identify partners in low-income countries who are interested in collaborating in such projects. Input from members of the Society is essential. The partners can be governmental or nongovernmental organizations or research institutes, or consortia of these players.
  • identify members of the Society who would be interested in forming a project team and in participating in candidate project management.
  • generate funding for assessment and finalization of the project plan(s).
  • work on finding sources of funding for the chosen project(s).

Members of the board

Miira Klemetti-Pettersson (pj.) miira.klemetti [ät] helsinki.fi
Leena Alanne
Dan Apter
Helena Laasonen
Kaisu Luiro-Helve
Merja Metsä-Heikkilä
Laure Morin-Papunen

Toimintakertomukset

Toimintakertomus 2023
Toimintakertomus 2022
Toimintakertomus 2021
Toimintakertomus 2020
Toimintakertomus 2019
Toimintakertomus 2018
Toimintakertomus 2017
Toimintakertomus 2016
Toimintakertomus 2015
Toimintakertomus 2013
Toimintakertomus 2012