The Motherhood Group
2023 marked the beginning of our relationship with The Motherhood Group.
Founded by Sandra Igwe in 2016, the Motherhood Group is a social enterprise that supports the Black maternal experience by delivering community-based events, training workshops, peer-to-peer support, national campaigns (Black Maternal Mental Health Week UK) and culturally sensitive programmes for Black mothers.
Important work
Organisations like The Motherhood Group shine a spotlight on urgent issues, raising awareness and providing support and education for black mothers.
The House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee issued a report in April 2023, addressing the ‘glaring and persistent disparities’ in black maternal healthcare and research revealed maternal mortality for black women is shockingly currently almost four times higher than for white women. Although this statistic is shocking, evidence of such disparities has existed for many years and the mortality rate for black women has in the past been even higher.
We believe every mother, including black mums, deserve the right to have access to adequate support, care, safe spaces and for their voice to be heard
The organisation plays an active role in several key community projects, aimed at improving maternal safety and ensuring better outcomes for all mums on a national scale. The Motherhood Group hosted the UK’s first Black Maternal Health Conference in March 2023, which received mainstream TV news coverage
Impact areas
- Raise awareness, advocate and highlight disparities around black mental health
- Educate and train healthcare professionals to take a more proactive, understanding approach to black women’s maternity care
- Bridge the gap between the community, research, service providers and the wider system
- Provide trusted community-based events, workshops and safe programmes for black mothers
- Support mothers and de-stigmatise mental health so they can ask for help
- Partner with organisations and services to influence policy and change practices
A partnership for parity
In September 2023 we announced our partnership at our Birmingham launch event, at which Sandra kindly spoke about the incredible work the charity carries out.
Sandra works tirelessly to highlight the disparities in black maternal healthcare, sharing real life examples of challenges faced by black mothers, including her own story. The Motherhood Group creates a safe space for expectant and new mums, providing information, support and guidance, to empower them on their respective journeys. CL Medilaw is proud to support the work of the Motherhood Group and amplify Sandra’s voice on such an urgent issue. We look forward to collaborating on initiatives going forward to educate and empower others to advocate for meaningful, lasting change.
We are excited to partner with such an amazing charity, supporting black maternal health and advocating for better rights for black and minority women throughout their pregnancy and looking forward to the future of this relationship.
Head over to their website to learn more about the work they do.
