Introducing the Women’s Health and Livelihood Alliance (WOHLA)

USAID’s FHM Engage partnered with Samhita’s Collective Good Foundation (Samhita-CGF) to launch the Women’s Health and Livelihood Alliance (WOHLA), a multi-stakeholder initiative designed to empower women in underserved communities across India by addressing the intersecting aspects of their health and economic wellbeing.

WOHLA is designed to serve as a health marketplace catalyst and aims to empower women by mobilizing resources and increasing their access to sexual and reproductive health information, services, and products. Additionally, WOHLA seeks to enhance women’s financial and digital literacy, thereby fostering livelihood opportunities and promoting workforce participation.

Samhita-CGF will leverage its experience in developing alliances – such as REVIVE, the India Protectors Fund, Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance, and the Corporate WASH platform – and its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives to engage foundations, other CSR funders, and implementation partners to support market development approaches that address the ‘will-skill gap’ among family planning value chain stakeholders.

On March 21, 2024, a formal launch event took place in New Delhi with an array of presentations and discussions. USAID’s Assistant Administrator for Global Health Dr. Atul Gawande provided a keynote address. Other featured speakers included Ms. Veena Reddy [USAID], Ms. Anna Roy [Niti Aayog – the apex public policy think tank of the Government of India], and other public and private sector participants. In attendance were also CEOs and leaders from public and private sector who are supporting WOHLA as signatories of a pledge.

Key Statements:

USAID Assistant Administrator for Global Health, Dr. Atul Gawande, said, "When women are given the opportunity to thrive, the entire community thrives too. Women’s economic security and rights is the critical foundation for communities, peace, and resilient economies. The Women’s Health and Livelihood Alliance in India provides career development and job opportunities for women and expands access to sexual and reproductive health care – services that promote gender equity and economic security for women."

Dr. Amit Bhanot, India Country Director and Chief of Party, FHM Engage, said, “WOHLA is designed to mobilize private sector resources, foster partnerships, and implement targeted interventions to cultivate an ecosystem that prioritizes the symbiotic relationship between women’s reproductive health and professional advancement. The benefits are far-reaching and may even eliminate gender-based violence.”

Priya Naik, Founder and CEO at Samhita Social Ventures Pvt Ltd, said, “Deeply committed to advancing the well-being of women and girls through multiple WOHLA interventions, we aim to increase access to reproductive healthcare information, products and services and unlock access to livelihood interventions for empowering young women.”

Related Resources:

The Women’s Health and Livelihood Alliance (WOHLA) Fact Sheet

FHM Engage India Fact Sheet

Health Market Description Brief on Family Planning in India

FHM Engage India Market Description 2023

FHM Engage India Market Description 2023 (Abridged)

Navigating Information Blind Spots Through Market Intelligence to Create an Informed Contraceptives Market Technical Brief

Fostering Collaboration: Leveraging Stewardship to Unite Public and Private Sectors for Enhancing India’s Contraceptive Market Policy Landscape Technical Brief

Applying Market-Based Models to Improve Financing for Supply Side Distributors of Contraceptives in India Technical Brief

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