Friday April 9, 2009
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM

Keeping girls in School: Supporting Girls Health to Promote Their Empowerment   
Sponsored by: Procter & Gamble

More than 1/3 of the growing urban population in developing countries lives in slum conditions with the associated problems of inadequate water, sanitation, and lack of social infrastructure include health and education. This session is to raise awareness for, and establish a dialog about, supporting vulnerable girls' health and educational needs in order to keep them in school and promote their empowerment.  Expert speakers will identify and analyze the current situation in urban and rural districts today and duscuss new strategies to support vulnerable girl's health to promote their empowerment. 

		Moderator: ANN VAN DUSEN, PhD, MA  LEADING ADVISOR TO DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL DONOR INSTITUTIONS ON STRATEGIC PLANNING, PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, AND EVALUATION
		Marni Sommer, DrPh, MSN, RN Director of SMS Global Health Track Sociomedical Sciences Executive Editor, 'Global Public Health' Assistant Professor of Sociomedical Sciences Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
		Shweta Shukla Head, External Relations, Procter & Gamble, India  Manager for Project Parivartan, a project in India to improve FEMININE HYGIENE EDUCATION AND Access to Pads among vulnerable girls in India
		Brad Kerner Adolescent Reproductive Health Sr. Specialist Dept. of Health and Nutrition, Save the Children USA
		Varina Tjon-A-Ten, PhD Former Dutch Politician Expert on the negative impacts that the lack of Menstrual Protection Materials have on women and girls in developing countries