WOHLA launch initiative to empower 5 million women in India

New Delhi: The Women’s Health and Livelihood Alliance (WOHLA), a new initiative backed by USAID and FHM Engage, held a roundtable discussion in Delhi, marking the official launch of its campaign to empower 5 million women across India over the next five years. The event brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including government officials, healthcare experts, and representatives from key organizations, underscoring the collaborative effort behind this transformative initiative.

The roundtable highlighted the central role of innovative family planning methods and economic support in enhancing women’s health and livelihoods. The discussions centered on how these strategies can create opportunities for women, paving the way for improved health outcomes and greater economic independence.

Among the distinguished attendees were Dr. Nidhi Bhatt, National Officer for Family Planning, World Health Organization; Dr. Sonali Rawal, Health Policy Specialist, NITI Aayog; Dr. Amit Bhanot, Country Director & Chief of Party, FHM Engage; Shikha Bansal, USAID Member; Shivani Kapoor, Deputy Chief of Party, FHM Engage; Komal Khanna, SBCC Advisor, USAID India; and Swati Kapoor, USAID Member.

Other notable attendees included N K Ahooja, State Drug Controller (Retd.) and Chairman Ahooja Sub-Committee on OTC Drugs; Dr. Ashoo Grover, Deputy Director General, ICMR; Vivek Seigell, Senior VP Corporate Affairs, APEEJAY Stya Svran Group & Former Director General, OPPI; and Michelle M. Lang-Alli – Health Office Director, USAID, who delivered the keynote address. 

Maj (Gen) Prof. Atul Kotwal, SM, VSM, Executive Director, NHSRC; Dr. Kirti Iyengar, Director (SRHR), CIFF; Sumantoke Bagchi, Head, Medical Affairs, Exeltis; Moni Sagar, Development Assistance Specialist (Innovation), USAID; Vivek Malhotra, CEO, PHSI; and Prachi Garg, External Affairs Lead, Organon were also present.

They were joined by Maulik Chokshi, Deputy Country Director-Technical and Director of Health Systems, ACCESS Health International; Shankar Subramaniem, Senior Global Technical Advisor, FHM Engage; and Arijit Ghosh, Senior Director, PSI.

WOHLA’s launch represents a step forward in addressing the challenges faced by women in India, focusing on enhancing access to contraception and providing the necessary support to improve women’s overall health and economic status.