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Women Deliver 2013 Kuala Lumpur

June 12, 2013

Real Medicine Foundation CEO Dr. Martina Fuchs and our Coordinator of Maternal Child Health programs Cindy Urbanc are just back from the Women Deliver Conference 2013 http://www.womendeliver.org Held every 3 years, this conference brings together 5,000 world leaders, advocates, health workers, corporate, government and non-profit organizations to discuss the current status of girls and women worldwide and collectively address plans for their immediate and long-term future.

Cindy Stein Urbanc, Janet Michael, Gillian Butts-Garnett, Dr. Martina Fuchs

Dr. Martina Fuchs, Cindy Stein Urbanc, Princess Mabel van Oranje

Cindy Stein Urbanc, Afshan Bhatti (RMF Pakistan), Dr. Martina Fuchs, Dr Zubia Mumtaz

Melinda Gates

This year, the conference was held in beautiful and welcoming Malaysia and the theme was "Investing in Girls and Women." Topics included maternal health, education, child marriage, family planning, poverty, gender equality, and human rights which addressed the concept of investing in girls and women economically, politically, and socially.

Look at some of the exciting presenters:

Chelsea Clinton discusses her work at the Clinton Global Initiative during one of the plenary sessions

Melinda Gates advocates for supporting the role of girls and adolescents in solving some key challenges in the world

Secretary General of the United Nations Ban-Ki Moon addresses the participants of Women Deliver 2013

One of the visual highlights was the "Girl Tree" created by the Nike Foundation. They traveled to 7 countries and interviewed girls about what their hopes and dreams are while simultaneously partnering with local NGOs that have programs aimed at improving the lives of girls and adolescents through innovative programming. The girls wrote their dreams on wooden leaves that were then put on this amazing tree:

Nike Foundation’s powerful and gorgeous Girl Tree

New leaves waiting with the names of individuals and organizations at Women Deliver who made the commitment to help girls globally achieve their dreams

Real Medicine Foundation’s CEO Dr. Martina Fuchs pledges to help girls achieve their dreams while under the Nike Foundation’s Girl Tree

The ambiance at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center was one of excitement, motivation, passion, and power. Here is a favorite part of the exhibit hall:

an homage to girl power

Also in the exhibit hall, Dr. Fuchs and Cindy Urbanc connected with Princess Mabel van Oranje of the Netherlands to learn about her organization Girls not Brides that is working to eliminate child marriage.

RMFs CEO Dr. Fuchs, Coordinator of Maternal Child Health Programs, Mabel van Oranje and a young supporter at the Girls not Brides booth

Finally, one of the most exciting and proudest moments was hearing Janet Micheal, the Head of Nursing and Midwifery for the nation of South Sudan speak to a full room in the Midwifery forum session. Janet and RMF have worked closely together in the development of the only accredited College of Nursing and Midwifery in her nation. For more information on our South Sudan program click here: http://realmedicinefoundation.org/initiative/healthcare-sector-capacity-building-college-of-nursing-and-midwifery-south-sudan

South Sudan’s Janet Micheal was an excellent speaker on the midwifery panel