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Geraldine Nyaku is an ardent women’s rights advocate who has worked in civil society for over seven years. She is currently the National Coordinator for White Ribbon Alliance Zimbabwe. Geraldine brings extensive experience in advocacy for children and women’s rights, gender-based violence, and national legislation to the Alliance. She holds a BA Law degree from the University of Johannesburg and professional trainings on advanced human rights from the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria; comprehensive sexuality education from ActionAid Zimbabwe; and is an alumna from the Young African Leaders Initiative from USAID and the University of South Africa.  She has worked with diverse communities at grassroots level and with different government structures from local authorities to ministries and policy makers to advocate for the rights of women and children. She brings her multifaceted leadership style and innovative solutions to improve and promote maternal and newborn health and rights both in the national and global alliance.

Soo is a member of the International Mother Baby Childbirth Organization, and of the ICI Board. She spent 15 years working as a clinical and research midwife. In 2001 she joined the University of Central Lancashire where she is now the Professor of Midwifery Studies. Her main research focus is the nature of, and cultures around, normal birth. She has been a member of the Technical Working Group of the World Health Organization antenatal, intrapartum, postpartum, and optimising caesarean section guidelines. She has published over 160 peer reviewed papers, and has undertaken research using a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methods. She is a member of the NHS England Better Births national Stakeholder group. She was the founder of the International Normal Birth Research Conference Series.