Women’s Collective Forum (WCF)
The Women’s Collective Forum (WCF) is a Private Limited, non-government company committed to advancing gender equality, equity, and addressing critical challenges in public health, education, and economic empowerment. At its core, WCF is dedicated to fostering inclusive development through innovative, scalable solutions that empower marginalized communities and address systemic inequities.
Collaboration lies at the core of WCF’s work. By engaging with government bodies, leading academic institutions, civil society organizations, and global thought leaders, WCF seamlessly connects innovation with impact. From shaping policies to delivering scalable interventions, the Forum is a trusted partner in addressing systemic challenges with actionable solutions.
Advancing Maternal Health: Innovations & Collaborative Solutions
India continues to face challenges in ensuring timely and adequate maternal care, particularly in rural and low-resource settings. Through this workshop, GSMST in association with Women’s Collective Forum brings together experts and stakeholders to explore scalable solutions that bridge gaps in maternal health services. The focus is on leveraging technology to empower healthcare providers, strengthen health systems, and ultimately reduce preventable maternal and neonatal mortality.
Maternal health is a critical pillar of public health, with far-reaching impacts on families and communities. This workshop highlights the role of emerging technologies—such as telemedicine, AI-based diagnostics, and point-of-care devices—in improving access to quality maternal care, especially in underserved regions. By integrating innovation with clinical need, GSMST aims to support safer pregnancies, early risk detection, and equitable maternal outcomes.
Session 1: Tackling Challenging Pregnancies
Theme: Unwanted fertility, community adolescent maternal newborn care
Dr. Farnaz Sabet (University of Melbourne)
Expertise in adolescent maternal care, public health, and participatory women’s groups in India
Dr. Esha Chatterjee (IIT Kanpur)
Social Demographer with a focus on fertility, health inequalities, labor demography, migration, and aging
Session 2: Infections and Maternal Health
Theme: Infection management during pregnancy, low-resource diagnostics
Dr Shivani Pasricha (University of Melbourne)
Spearheading rapid point-of-care diagnostics for infectious diseases with advanced technologies like CRISPR.
Dr. Jaya Chakravarty (BHU)
Expertise in HIV/AIDS, opportunistic infections, and maternal health in endemic regions