Pregnancy Complications
Infant- and Family-Centered Developmental Care
Respiratory Infections
Neonatal Eye Health
Hygiene
Rare Diseases
We connect people, perspectives, and progress in newborn and maternal health.
At GFCNI, we believe collaboration drives meaningful change. Through our global network of healthcare professionals, researchers, parent and patient organizations, and policymakers, we connect those committed to improving the quality, accessibility, and equity of maternal and newborn care. By bringing the authentic parent and patient voice into projects and partnerships, we help build trust, strengthen relevance, and inspire evidence-based, family-centered progress.
Through collaboration and knowledge exchange, GFCNI provides access to a unique global network and decades of experience in maternal, perinatal, and neonatal health.
Our work includes:
Building strategic networks and partnerships across healthcare, research, parent-patient communities, and industry.
Integrating the patient and family perspective so materials and strategies reflect lived experience.
Delivering expert contributions and keynote engagements at conferences, panels, and workshops on family-centred care.
Providing collaborative input for innovation in start-ups, research consortia, and healthcare organizations.
Our collaborations demonstrate how shared expertise and lived experience can shape better care for families around the world.
Collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO): Contributing to guidelines, frameworks, and trainings that reflect family experience, including Core Outcome Sets for maternal/perinatal health.
Parent and Patient Organizations Summit (POS): A flagship platform for cross-border exchange, learning, and partnership among advocates, clinicians, and researchers.
GFCNI is a trusted partner in shaping global maternal and newborn health policies. Through ongoing collaboration with the WHO, we contribute to the development of international guidelines, frameworks, and training materials that ensure the family and patient perspective is represented.
Our Chairwoman, Silke Mader, frequently serves as an invited expert in WHO initiatives – including the development of Core Outcome Sets (COS) for maternal and perinatal health during epidemics and pandemics. Her involvement helps ensure that global recommendations address real-world needs, reflect family experiences, and promote equitable, person-centered care.
By engaging directly with WHO working groups, advisory boards, and technical consultations, GFCNI bridges the gap between science, policy, and lived experience – helping shape international standards and improve outcomes for mothers, newborns, and families worldwide.
The Parent and Patient Organizations Summit is one of GFCNI’s flagship initiatives, bringing together representatives from our global network of parent and patient organizations in maternal and newborn health.
Held regularly, the summit provides a collaborative platform for exchange, learning, and partnership among advocates, healthcare professionals, and researchers. Participants share experiences, discuss emerging challenges, and identify opportunities to strengthen family-centered care worldwide.
Through the summit, GFCNI fosters cross-border collaboration and empowers parent leaders to engage in policy, research, and awareness initiatives. By connecting voices from different regions and backgrounds, we ensure that families’ lived experiences guide the development of better care systems and global health priorities.
As a respected voice in the international neonatal community, GFCNI regularly contributes to leading congresses and scientific meetings – including the Congress of Joint European Neonatal Societies (jENS), the Congress of the European Paediatric Academic Societies (CEPAS), the Do’s and Don’ts in Neonatology of the Union of European Neonatal and Perinatal Societies (UENPS), and other major forums.
Through keynote lectures, panel discussions, and educational sessions, Silke Mader and members of our expert team advocate for infant- and family-centered developmental care (IFCDC) and for the meaningful inclusion of parents in neonatal care.
By representing the patient and family perspective at these international events, GFCNI helps shape clinical practice, research priorities, and health policies – ensuring that the voices of families are heard where decisions are made.
Whether you’re developing a project, seeking connections across networks, or integrating the parent and patient perspective into your work, we’re here to collaborate with you.
Our consulting and networking initiatives often link closely with Research Opportunities and Policy & Advocacy to translate evidence and experience into lasting impact.
If you’d like to explore collaboration opportunities with GFCNI in consulting and networking, I’d be happy to hear from you.
Silke Mader, Chairwoman
GFCNI is the first global organization and network to unite patients, families, healthcare professionals,
medical staff, and scientists from different disciplines, fields,
and countries – all with the joint goal of advancing the health and quality of care for newborns and their families across the globe.
GFCNI is a non-profit organization established under German public law. Tax Reference Number: 143/235/22619
© 2025 GFCNI. All Rights Reserved.
