Participatory women's groups: Time for integration into programmes

Abstract

Summary: It is already reasonably well established that, with adequate coverage, the community-mobilisation approach of women's groups practising participatory learning and action is associated with a programmatically attractive reduction in neonatal mortality in low-resource high-burden settings.1 In 2014, WHO recommended implementation of this intervention particularly in rural settings with low access to health services.2 The uncertainty, however, has been whether such an approach is actually scalable in public health programmes that are often driven by supply-side strategies.