Black Women’s Health Initiative

Advocating for the Health of Black Women

The Black Women’s Health Project is an initiative focused on promoting the health and wellness of black women everywhere. This initiative is in response to the lack of attention to the health concerns of Black women. There are limited research, data, and program that attend to the health needs of Black women. We don’t know much about Black women’s health, largely because we don’t collect statistics by race and ethnicity. It is a comprehensive program aimed at addressing the unique health challenges faced by Black women.

We envision a future where every Black woman is empowered with knowledge, resources, and support to make informed choices about their health, and they have access to high-quality, culturally competent healthcare services and support.

Why Black Women?

Black women face a disproportionate burden of health problems including higher rates of chronic diseases, maternal and infant mortality, and more areas that are under-studied. The organisation recognises that health outcomes are closely tied to social, cultural, historical, spiritual, political and economic factors. We seek to raise awareness of these issues and advocate for policies and programs that address them. The Black Women’s Health Project promotes social justice and equity for Black women by addressing the root causes of health disparities through education, empowerment, research, advocacy and community building initiatives.

Our Focus

To eliminate health disparities among Black girls and women by providing culturally competent health services and resources.

To raise awareness about the unique health challenges and experiences faced by Black women through education, research and advocacy.
To promote preventive healthcare practices and early intervention.
To empower Black women to take control of their health and well-being through community engagement and support.
Be a platform to bridge the data and knowledge gap related to Black women’s health

General Women’s Health

Black Women’s Health Imperative: Located in Washington DC, this nonprofit organization was the first established by black women in 1983.Their notable achievements include pioneering signature programs targeted at urgent health concerns for black women like diabetes, menstrual and reproductive health. Additionally, they run special initiatives collaborating with partners to address various topics such as rare diseases, HIV, fibroids, and diabetes across diverse social groups. They also engage in policy development to assess and enforce national and state policies, ensuring elected officials are responsible for tackling critical health issues affecting black women.

Reproductive Health

The Black Women’s Reproductive Health Project: is affiliated with the T.A.P project, an organization based in Manchester that serves individuals of African descent. This initiative focuses on examining how systemic racism affects the accessibility and quality of reproductive and menstrual health services. Among their key activities is conducting research: they have compiled a report on the experiences and needs of Black and Black-mixed British women regarding their menstrual-reproductive health through surveys and interviews. Additionally, they are engaged in offering educational and informational resources to support Black women during healthcare visits and host online peer support group sessions to empower and educate about menstrual and reproductive health issues, symptoms, and treatments.