Women's World Banking 347d ago

What if your ability to open a bank account determined whether you could survive childbirth? Or if a lack of credit meant you couldn’t access life-saving healthcare? Financial systems and public health might seem like separate worlds, but they’re deeply intertwined—especially for women. In this episode of Making Finance Work for Women, we sit down with Dr.  Mary-Ann Etiebet, President & CEO of Vital Strategies, to explore a game-changing idea: financial inclusion isn’t just about money—it’s a public health issue. From maternal healthcare to chronic care, to crisis resilience, she breaks down how access to financial services can mean the difference between thriving and barely surviving. Tune in to hear why fixing finance could be the key to a healthier world for women everywhere. Guest: Dr. Mary-Ann Etiebet Dr. Mary-Ann Etiebet is the President and CEO of Vital Strategies, a global public health organization advancing equitable and effective health systems in over 80 countries for over 3.3 billion people to date. A leading voice in health equity, Dr. Etiebet previously led Merck for Mothers, a $650M global initiative improving maternal health care for over 50 million women worldwide. With deep experience in global financing and policy, she has advised organizations like the World Bank, WHO, and the UN on innovative solutions to improve women’s health outcomes. Host: Dr. Sonja Kelly, Global Head, Women’s World Banking Institute Sonja is the global lead for Women’s World Banking research and learning. Through research on the financial sector, policy trends, financial services providers, and end users, Sonja and her team advocate for women’s financial inclusion. Before joining Women’s World Banking, she advised the U.S. Department of State on strategy for U.S. Embassy engagement in digital finance around the world. She has served as the director of research at the Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion, has held consulting roles at the World Bank and the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), and has worked in microfinance at Opportunity International. Sonja holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from American University where she researched financial inclusion policy and regulation.