The Martha May Eliot Forum will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009 from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m., immediately following the Marth Mae Eliot Awards Luncheon.  Access to safe, clean water is an important development issue which also has substantial impact on the health of women and children. Reaching the Millennium Development Goals 3 (Gender equity), 4 (Child health) and 5 (Maternal health) will require improvements in water, sanitation and basic health services. This session will focus on current perspectives on the intersection between water and the health of women and children. Panelist s will include:

·         Dr. Mickey Chopra, new Chief of Health for UNICEF. Dr. Chopra will speak about 'Water and Child Health: Current Priorities at UNICEF'. Diarrhea is a leading cause of child death worldwide and represents the most direct link between water and poor child health outcomes. Dr. Chopra will speak about UNICEF worldwide efforts to address diarrhea morbidity and mortality in children and development projects to improve child health. 

·         Janine Schooley, Senior Vice-President for Programs, Project Concern International. Ms. Schooley will speak about 'Water and Women: Strategies for Engagement and Empowerment'. She will draw from Project Concern International’s water and sanitation work in Latin America, Africa and Asia. She will provide a brief overview of the benefits of water and sanitation programming for women/girls and then focus on key strategies for engaging and empowering women and girls.

Two discussants will lead the discussion:  Professor Judy Lewis, Director of Global Health Education, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, and Chair of the Maternal and Child Health Section International Health Committee, and Dr. Padmini Murthy from New York Medical College, Section Councilor of the International Health Section of APHA, and member of Committee on Women’s Rights of APHA.  She is also the NGO representative of the Medical Women’s International to the United Nations Women’s Health Committee.  Representatives of the Women and Health Task Force of The Network Towards Unity For Health will also participate in the discussion. The Martha Mae Eliot Forum will address equity and development in the context of the health of women and children, with a particular focus on water, the theme of the 2009 APHA Annual Meeting.   The program will be chaired by Debra Jackson, Professor of MCH at the University of the Western Cape, Capetown, South Africa, and Chair-Elect of the Maternal and Child Health Section.  Join us for a lively and informative session!