The Penn Nursing Renfield Foundation Award for Global Women’s Health

Penn Nursing is proud to announce the winner of the 2022 Penn Nursing Renfield Foundation Award for Global Women’s Health, Gabriela Meléndez-Peláez, a Guatemalan nurse-midwife, maternal health advocate, and the Founder of Asociación Corazón del Agua. Meléndez-Peláez will receive the award for her tireless work in addressing maternal health inequities in Guatemala.
Corazón del Agua is working with leaders at the local and national level to advocate for changes that recognize the important role midwives play and support better integration of their services. Meléndez-Peláez is actively advocating for the Guatemalan Ministry of Health to officially recognize the midwifery profession and eliminate barriers that prevent midwives from fully exercising their work. The formation of the Association of Professional Midwives will further strengthen these efforts.