Black Maternal Health Conference UK sponsored for second time by law firm Leigh Day
The second Black Maternal Health Conference UK, an annual event to amplify Black women’s experiences and to inspire vital change, will be held on 18 March 2024 at Cavendish Conference Centre, London.
Posted on 14 March 2024
The conference, which ran for the first time in 2023, brings together healthcare professionals, advocates, and policymakers to discuss the well-being of black mothers in the UK. The 2024 conference will continue this crucial work and will feature expert speakers, panel discussions, and interactive workshops.
After experiencing traumatic childbirth compounded by racial bias and culturally insensitive care, author and social entrepreneur Sandra Igwe founded The Motherhood Group and organised the ground-breaking conference to drive action on stark inequities in black maternal health. Leigh Day is known for its ground-breaking work in human rights, discrimination and clinical negligence, and this is the second time that it is the headline sponsor for the conference. Shocking statistics reveal black women in the UK are four times more likely to die in pregnancy and childbirth and twice as likely to suffer stillbirth compared to white women. But the trauma behind these preventable deaths cannot be captured by numbers alone. Black Maternal Health Conference UK convenes over 350 attendees to amplify the voices of black mothers and birthing people. They will share their stories, spark urgent conversations on systemic racism embedded in maternity care, and build collective action towards health equity. Speakers include MP Abena Oppong-Asare, Dr Karen Joash, lived experience advocates like author Shakira Akabusi and loss advocate Doreen Thompson-Addo as well as midwives, clinicians, charity CEOs and policy experts. Sandra Igwe said: “Together, we will boldly confront barriers black women disproportionately face - from perinatal mental health struggles to pregnancy loss stigma to dismantling institutional racism in medical settings. The vision moving forward is clear – no more preventable harm from systemic inequality and no more black lives lost in childbirth.” Leigh Day clinical negligence team solicitor Firdous Ibrahim said: “Black Maternal Health Conference UK spotlights issues in human rights, discrimination and clinical negligence that we encounter every day in our work at Leigh Day. We are glad and proud to sponsor Sandra Igwe’s pioneering and vital work in this arena.” Sandra and her team urge media attendance and coverage to hold decision-makers accountable and advocate for transformative change centring the voices of impacted mothers. To find out more information about the conference or to book a place, click here.
Firdous Ibrahim
Firdous Ibrahim is a senior associate solicitor in the medical negligence department.
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