Happy Mother’s Day: Celebrating the Power and Inspiration of Mothers Everywhere

This Mother's Day, we've rounded up some news, commentary, and inspiration for you; all centering on mothers, motherhood, and the women who nurture, lead, protect, advocate for, and raise future generations.

Whether you're a mother yourself, are thanking and spending time with your own mother or the guiding women in your life, plan to honor mothers and great women who have supported and inspired you, or have a complicated relationship with motherhood and how (or if) it fits into your vision; we want to invite every woman to honor the strength, resilience, intelligence, and compassion that she and all the women around us bring to so many lives each day. Click through to enjoy the stories.

What Daughters Learn When Mom Is the Boss of the Family Business: A survey by global organization EY has found that women at the helm in family-owned companies helps other women—family members and unrelated women—to see themselves in leadership roles. Entrepreneur Magazine examines the effect, including the benefits of exemplifying leadership qualities, the rising tide of women leading companies or being considered for the top spot, the power of personal examples, and more.

The 50 Most Powerful Moms of 2018: Working Mother Magazine highlights fifty inspiring, powerful women who are leading the way while leading their families. The list amplifies some of the most important voices of the moment, honoring "women in power who raised their voices, gathered their communities, leveraged their status and demanded respect, safety, and equity for women in the workplace."

Employers Ranked on Maternity Benefits: A key to helping women succeed is providing for mothers and helping them continue to thrive in the workplace—paving the way for more secure futures for women while allowing companies to continue to benefit from their work, leadership, and insight; as well as helping them attract the best candidates. An annual ranking shows which companies do the best job prioritizing maternity benefits and family-friendly policies such as realistic maternity leave, flexible work schedules, and affordable child care—and areas that appear to be improving for working moms.

Motherhood Means Love: Mother’s Day Quotes From Around the World: The Global Fund for Women has collected a selection of quotes about mothers, motherhood, protecting one another, safety, the power of our voices and more from mothers across diverse backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. Share in the inspiration and unifying power of womanhood and motherhood; and celebrate mothers, women, and human rights all year long.

Image: Global Fund for Women

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How the death of two Ugandan mothers is helping entrench the right to health care

Every day, an average of 16 women in Uganda die avoidable deaths during childbirth. And while neighboring Rwanda has decreased similar incidents, Uganda continues to struggle even as it promises free health services to citizens. Resources, salaries and staff training are in short supply, and even without user fees for health services patients are expected to pay out-of-pocket for some services--and are denied or delayed when they can't. It's a recipe that has led to many of the preventable deaths--deaths of infants and mothers that could have been avoided with prompt maternal care. The tragic deaths of two expectant mothers, Sylvia Nalubowa and Jennifer Anguko, are spurring calls for the Ugandan government to take responsibility--and to change the system to ensure meaningful rights to health care for all.

Respecting women's rights as well as the country's constitution and international agreements, the Centre for health, Human Rights and Development argues, includes the right to necessary maternal care.

Click through to follow the progress of this case through Ugandan courts.

venturesafrica.com - When Sylvia Nalubowa went into labour in Uganda’s Mityana district in August 2009, she was taken to a local health centre where she expected to have a normal birth, supervised by a midwife.

After she had delivered her first baby the midwife realised there was a twin on the way. The midwife recommended that Nalubowa be taken to the district hospital where a doctor could handle the second delivery.

But when she arrived at the Mityana District Hospital in Central Uganda, the nurses asked for her maternity kit. This is commonly known as a “mama kit” and contains a plastic sheet, razor blades, cotton wool or gauze pad, soap, gloves, cord ties, and a child health card. All mothers delivering babies in Ugandan hospitals and clinics are expected to bring their own “mama kits” when they go into labour.

But Nalubowa had used her “mama kit” at the first health facility when delivering her first child. The nurses would hear none of her excuses and demanded money to purchase the kit before they could attend to her.

Read more here.