Bindiya Patel

South Africa, England, United States; Bindiya Patel has traveled around the world in her efforts to make a positive impact on the health of women and children. After earning her Master’s degree from Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Bindiya revived the school’s Gender Policy Network. She is currently the North American coordinator for the Global Campaign for Microbicides. Microbicides offer new possibilities for woman-controlled pregnancy and STD prevention methods through innovations such as vaginal creams and gels that women can apply before sexual intercourse. Microbicides, therefore, hold the promise of significantly affecting women’s lives. The Campaign’s mission is to build support among policy makers, opinion leaders, and the general public for increased investment in microbicides and other user-controlled prevention methods. Through her work at the Global Campaign, Bindiya supports American and Canadian advocates’ promotion of these new women-controlled prevention methods, and raises public awareness of the need for these life-saving products. Prior to working at the Campaign, Bindiya helped manage an outreach program at Philani Nutrition Center, a women’s and children’s health clinic in Khayelitsha, South Africa. See: www.global-campaign.org.
September 2005