Jill Sheffield

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Jill Sheffield

Jill Sheffield (left) at 21 Leaders Honorees

Born|

Jill Sheffield

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 global advocate for women's sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as for the reduction of maternal mortality worldwide. She is the founder of Women Deliver[1][2] and Family Care International[3][1] (integrated into Management Sciences for Health in 2015).[4]

## Biography[edit]

Sheffield received a Bachelor of Arts in education in 1961 from Glassboro State College (now Rowan University) [5] and Master of Arts in comparative and international education in 1963 from Columbia University.[3][6]

Sheffield's advocacy career began while volunteering in the family planning clinic at the Pumwani Maternity Hospital in Kenya in the 1960s.[7] It was the first such clinic in East Africa.[8] At the time, Kenyan women who went to the clinic were legally prohibited from using contraception without their husbands’ permission.[7] Sheffield transitioned from teaching to advocating for women's reproductive, sexual, and maternal rights.[7][9][10] Sheffield served as director of the Carnegie Corporation of New York's International Program[6][1] 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),[3] [1] a non-profit global organization focused on improving the maternal health of women in the world's poorest nations; she served as its president for 20 years.[9] FCI was the first international organization founded specifically to focus on maternal mortality.[12] FCI was integrated into Management Sciences for Health in 2015.[4]

In 2007, Sheffield founded Women Deliver,[1][2] 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.[6] Sheffield has been involved with the International Planned Parenthood Federation/Western Hemisphere Region,[6][7] and Population Communications International.[16] Sheffield has been Chair of Woman Care Global (now Catalyst Global),[6] Chair of the FIGO Committee on Contraception and Family Planning,[6][17] External Advisor to the IPPF Governing Council,[6] and Senior Adviser to Global Health Strategies.[6] In 2018, Sheffield was named a board member of Catalyst Global (formerly WCG Cares).[6]

## Recognition[edit]

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.[3]

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]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e "Jill Sheffield Fights for Moms Worldwide". VOA. 2010-03-14. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
2. ^ a b Margaret MacDonald, Debra Pascali Bonaro, & Robbie Davis-Floyd (2014-06-01). "Anthropological Engagement at a Global Women's Health Conference: A Report on the Women Deliver Conference, Kuala Lumpur 2013". Anthropology in Action. 21 (2): 37–41. doi:10.3167/aia.2014.210206.`{{cite journal}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
3. ^ a b c d "Distinguished Alumni Awards Presented at November Dinner". Teachers College Columbia University. 2003-12-01. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
4. ^ a b "Family Care International (FCI)". Healthy Newborn Network. 9 March 2015. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
5. ^ "Awards History". Rowan Alumni. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i "WCG Welcomes Jill Sheffield to its Board of Directors". PR Newswire. 2018-01-24. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
7. ^ a b c d Das, Pamela (2007-10-13). "Jill Sheffield: Nurturing safe motherhood". The Lancet. 370 (9595): 1308. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61566-9. PMID 17933639. S2CID 7497364.
8. ^ "About » Staff". Women Deliver. Archived from the original on 2012-02-23. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
9. ^ a b Jill Sheffield. "Women Deliver : Delivering Solutions for Girls and Women" (PDF). Womendeliver.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-11-01. Retrieved 2013-10-31.
10. ^ Adam Phillips (2010-03-15). "Jill Sheffield Fights for Moms Worldwide | American Profiles | English". Voanews.com. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
11. ^ "Jill Sheffield's blog". Archived from the original on November 30, 2010. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
12. ^ "FCI: History of Achievement and Impact". Familycareintl.org. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
13. ^ "Our History". Women Deliver. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
14. ^ "About". Women Deliver. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
15. ^ "Delivering for Girls and Women: Lifetime Achievement Award for Jill Sheffield". Women Deliver. 2016-06-14. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
16. ^ "Jill Sheffield". Rewire News Group. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
17. ^ "Committee Members". FIGO International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
18. ^ "Awards: The Carl S. Shultz Award for Lifetime Achievement". American Public Health Association. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
19. ^ "Meet Our Team: Board Members". Catalyst Global. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
20. ^ Secretary-General, Un (8 August 2008). "United Nations Population Award 2008 : note / by the Secretary-General". United Nations Digital Library. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
21. ^ Sherk, Kirsten. "Melinda Gates, Jill Sheffield honored with ICRW Champions for Change Awards". International Center for Research on Women. Retrieved 2023-07-08.