Jill Sheffield

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Jill Sheffield
Jill Sheffield (left) at 21 Leaders Honorees
Born	Jill Sheffield
Education	Bachelor of Arts in Education, Glassboro State College (now Rowan University) (1961); Master of Arts in Comparative and International Education, Columbia University (1963)
Known for	Advocating internationally for women's sexual & reproductive rights as well as decreased maternal mortality
Notable work	Founder of Women Deliver

Jill Sheffield is a prominent advocate for women's sexual and reproductive health and rights, specifically championing reducing global maternal mortality. She is the founder of Women Deliver^[1][2], a global organization dedicated to improving maternal health and gender equality. ^[3]

Sheffield received a Bachelor of Arts in Education in 1961 from Glassboro State College (now Rowan University)^[4] and a Master of Arts in Comparative and International Education in 1963 from Columbia University.^[5][6]

Sheffield's career began in reproductive health after recognising the severe challenges women face in accessing healthcare.^{[citation needed]}

She volunteered at the Pumwani Maternity Hospital's family planning clinic in Kenya in the 1960s,^[7] the first such clinic in East Africa.^[8] At the time, Kenyan women were legally prohibited from using contraception without their husbands’ permission.^[7] This inspired Sheffield to shift from teaching towards advocating for women's reproductive, sexual, and mother's rights.^[9][10] Sheffield served as director of the Carnegie Corporation of New York's International Program^[1][5] and as director of Africa and Latin America programs and regional representative for World Education.^[11]

In 1987, Sheffield co-founded Family Care International (FCI),^[1][6] a non-profit global organization focused on improving the maternal health of women in the world's poorest nations. Sheffield was the president for 20 years.^[9] FCI was the first international organization founded specifically to focus on maternal mortality^[12] , family planning and reproductive rights. FCI was also integrated into Management Sciences for Health in 2015.^[3]

In 2007, Sheffield founded Women Deliver,^[1][2] which was originally a conference focused on maternal health that evolved into an advocacy organization.^[13] It seeks to generate political commitment and financial investment to reduce maternal mortality and increase access to reproductive health.^[14] In 2016, Sheffield retired from the organization.^[15]

In 2011, Sheffield served as one of 30 commissioners on the UN Commission on Information and Accountability for Women's and Children's Health.^[5] Sheffield has been involved with the International Planned Parenthood Federation/Western Hemisphere Region,^[5][7] and Population Communications International.^[16] Sheffield has been chair of Woman Care Global (now Catalyst Global),^[5] chair of the FIGO Committee on Contraception and Family Planning,^[17] external advisor to the IPPF Governing Council,^[5] and senior adviser to Global Health Strategies.^[5] In 2018, Sheffield was named a board member of Catalyst Global (formerly WCG Cares).^[5]

The American Public Health Association granted Sheffield its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008,^[18] the same year that Family Care International received the United Nations Population Award for outstanding work in sexual and reproductive health and rights.^[19][20] Sheffield has also been recognized as a distinguished alumna by Columbia University's Teachers College.^[6]

Along with Melinda Gates, Sheffield was awarded the 2016 Champions for Change Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW).^[21]