The Nigeria Health Watch, an NGO, says it has concluded arrangements to host the second edition of “Celebrating Womanhood Art Gala’’ with the theme “Elevating Women’s Voices for Quality Maternal Healthcare.”

The Managing Director of the NGO, Mrs Vivianne Ihekweazu, told the media on Monday in Abuja that the art gala is scheduled to take place in Abuja on March 24 as part of activities to commemorate the International Women’s Month.

She said the theme acknowledged that women’s perspectives, insights, needs and experiences were frequently overlooked in decision-making, policy design and implementation.

She added that “the art gala aims to advocate for maternal health programmes and services that incorporates and centres on women’s experiences and perspectives in improving quality maternal care.

“Nigeria Health Watch held its first #HealthMeetsArt, Celebrating Womanhood Art Gala in 2021; the art has helped to record history, shape culture, cultivate imagination and encourage individual and social transformation.”

Ihekweazu said that based on this, the organisation uses creative art to raise awareness and motivate stakeholders to take action on maternal health and other gender-related issues.

According to her, the gala will allow guests to participate physically and virtually through the organisation’s website and social media platforms.

“It will allow art lovers and interested stakeholders from around the world to interact with the artwork.

“The art gala is organised with the support of the National Gallery of Arts (NGA) and Female Artists Association of Nigeria (FEAAN) who have curate art pieces from selected female artists.

“It is aimed at bringing stakeholders from various sectors to raise awareness and provide a platform for discussion on maternal health in Nigeria.

“We understand that issues relating to maternal health affect individuals from various sectors directly or indirectly.”

The managing director said that the country’s maternal mortality rate had remained a public health concern, quoting the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey of 2018 (NDHS 2018) as indicating that “about 512 women die per 100,000 live births.

“This accounts for 20 per cent of global maternal deaths.”

She said that the high number of women who die during childbirth calls for action and collaboration by all stakeholders (private sectors, public agencies, civil society organisations, donors, and multinationals) to change the negative outcome.