Global midwife leader Dr. Franka Cadée joins Maternity Foundation’s Executive Management Team
In August 2023, Dr. Franka Cadée will join the Executive Management Team at Maternity Foundation to further strengthen and support the continued development of Maternity Foundation’s global work, aiming to ensure safer births for women and babies globally. As Director, Franka will lead some of the organisation’s global strategic initiatives, impact work, and partnerships.
Franka is a midwife and expert in sexual and reproductive health and rights with over 30 years of experience in strategy and policy development, advocacy, research, leadership, and management. Franka’s six-year tenure as the President of the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), came to an end in June 2023. As President, Franka advocated for strengthening midwifery leadership, regulation, and education globally and to close the current global gap of 900,000 midwives. The importance of this agenda is underlined by new data showing that progress on reducing maternal mortality has stalled. Each year, almost 300,000 women and 2.4 million newborns die during or following pregnancy. Most deaths happen in poor and fragile settings, and the majority can be prevented if the women received quality care from a skilled midwife.
At Maternity Foundation, Franka will be key in supporting Maternity Foundation continued growth in scaling up the Safe Delivery Programme across low- and middle-income countries. To date, Maternity Foundation has reached more than 375,000 healthcare workers through its innovative training programmes and evidence-based digital health solutions, including the Safe Delivery App, strengthening midwifery skills and knowledge in low resource settings. Current
momentum provides ample opportunity to scale further through strong national partners, associations, and individual champions.
“We are thrilled to welcome Franka as a partner of our senior leadership team. With her comprehensive experience and network as well as broad expert knowledge of maternal, sexual, and reproductive health and rights issues, she is a perfect match to support Maternity Foundation’s continued growth and impact” says Maternity Foundation’s CEO Anna Frellsen.
“I can’t wait to put my knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm to good use, because there is global urgency, and the Maternity Foundation’s solutions are community centered, evidence-based and clearly impactful. I want a meaningful job – and with this role I have found it! “says Franka.
Franka sits in several international boards, is a well-versed public speaker and sexual and reproductive justice advocate. Previously she worked for multiple organisations including the Royal Dutch Organisation of Midwives (KNOV). She has a background as a midwife as well as a PhD in Organisational Anthropology from Maastricht University School for Public health & Primary Care.
For more information, please contact Head of Communications at Maternity Foundation, Helle Degn: + 45 30561551 / helle@maternity.dk
More about Maternity Foundation: www.maternity.dk
More about the Safe Delivery App: www.safedelivery.org
