Attend the Lillian Meighen Wright Maternal-Child Health Learning Academy 

Mothering imagePhoto by William Fortunato from Pexels for YFile

The sixth Lillian Meighen Wright Maternal-Child Health Learning Academy two-day event will take place on July 18 and 22, and will run virtually from noon to 3 p.m. on both days. It’s theme is Maternal-Child Health and Well-being in a Global Pandemic: Promotion, Prevention, Intervention. 

Invited speakers, and poster presenters include researchers, students and practitioners, dedicated to maternal-child health and well-being. The objective of the event is to promote co-learning and engagement in discussions on maternal-child health and well-being in the context of the current global pandemic. During the event members of academia, service sectors, and community will present on their research and practices. It will entail panel presentations, pre-recorded poster presentations, and live discussions. 

The Learning Academy is organized by Associate Professor Nazilla Khanlou, the Women’s Health Research Chair in Mental Health at the Faculty of Health and Academic Lead of the Lillian Meighen Wright Maternal-Child Health Scholars Program, along with the event planning committee which includes York University sociology PhD graduate Luz Maria Vazquez, who is research coordinator of the Office of Women’s Health Research Chair in Mental Health and student co-chairs of the Scholars Program, psychology PhD candidates Bianca Bondi and Ilana Shiff. 

“The ongoing pandemic’s impact is gendered, placing women in increased disadvantage through its different waves. Mothers have had to manage multiple roles throughout the pandemic, with increased demands on their time and personal resources. Cross-systems support and gender-specific policies and practices are needed to best support maternal-child health and well-being. The Learning Academy will contribute to co-learning in support of best practice, policies and action,” says Khanlou.  
 
This Learning Academy includes, academic-community-service sectors panels, national and international poster presentations, a wide range of topics detailing practical and clinical strategies, speakers within diverse fields such as gender studies, psychology, nursing, and a discussion of challenges and innovative approaches for those working in maternal-child health.  
 
Panellists include researchers and practitioners from academic institutions including York University, Brock University, MacEwan University and University of Toronto, and from community organizations including the Council of Agencies Serving South Asians and Mothercraft/Breaking the Cycle.  

Poster presenters include researchers from York University, Brandon University, and from international universities including the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and the Federal University of Paraiba in Brazil, and the Aga Khan University in Pakistan. 

This event is funded by the Lillian Meighen Wright Foundation. Additional information and registration details are available online.