100 WOMEN 2015: Fighting maternal death from Malawi to the UK
There are few ways in which the world is more starkly divided than childbirth. A woman in Sierra Leone is more than 450 times more likely to die giving birth than a woman in Greece or Finland.
It is a gap midwives around the world are trying to close - often working long hours in under-resourced hospitals.
As part of the BBC's 100 women series we're bringing together two women from different ends of the world who share that mission.
Tina Lavender is one of the world's top experts in midwifery, specialising in the management of prolonged labour and the use of the partograph - a tool designed to help midwives monitor births.
Eveles Chimala is a midwife in Malawi and has worked in the busiest ward in the country. She's doing research into why the partograph doesn't work in her hospital.
Our 100 Women season showcases two weeks of inspirational stories about the BBC 100 Women and others who defy stereotypes around the world.
Like us on Facebook, external and follow us on Instagram, external using the hashtag #100Women, external.