INITIATIVES AND CAMPAIGNS
Women in Global Health has launched several campaigns and initiatives since its inception, in collaboration with various partner organizations.
WOMEN IN GLOBAL HEALTH CHAPTERS
Established in 2015, Women in Global Health (WGH) was founded as a global movement dedicated to achieving gender equality in global health leadership. WGH has members in over 70 countries and with the first two Chapters in Germany and Washington, D.C., established in 2018. Stay tuned for upcoming announcements on chapter inquiry procedures, to be released this Spring 2018. If you are interested in hosting a chapter of Women in Global Health, please submit your interest here.
GENDER EQUITY HUB
UNDER THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION'S GLOBAL HEALTH WORKFORCE NETWORK
The WHO Global Health Workforce Network (GWHN) thematic hub on Gender Equity in the Health and Social Workforce, co-chaired by WHO and Women in Global Health was launched at the 4th Global Forum on Human Resources for Health in November 2017. The purpose of the Hub is to accelerate large-scale gender-transformative progress to address gender inequities and biases in the health and social workforce for the SDGs as envisioned by the Working for Health five-year action plan.
WOMEN LEADERS IN GLOBAL HEALTH CONFERENCE
This conference is inspired by the large and growing number of women in global and public health, and frustration about the lack of diversity and representation of women in global health leadership positions. Women comprise as much as 70% of the health workforce in many countries and the majority of students in academic global health tracks. Young women are entering the field in increasing numbers, but at each step of the ladder the percentage of women in power decreases.
As implementing partners, Women in Global Health has worked with Stanford University's Centre for Innovation in Global Health to present a one-day conference highlighting emerging and established women leaders in global health in 2017. We continue to be involved in the planning and implementation of the 2018 Conference to be hosted London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine through engagement on the Steering Committee.
HEROINES OF HEALTH
It was an incredible privilege for the Women in Global Health and GE Healthcare teams - along with our co-sponsors, United Nations Foundation, Global Health Council, Global Health Centre-Graduate Institute, Women Deliver, Government Offices of Sweden, IntraHealth International, Frontline Health Workers Coalition and Research in Ethics Gender Studies (RinGS) - to celebrate amazing women among diverse, committed partners from around the world, from across sectors, spanning all areas of global health advocacy. These women are working tirelessly to improve global health with dedication and passion to champion better healthcare for all. Our teams are committed to help recognize, develop and grow women’s leadership.
This is just the start.
CALL TO ACTION
On behalf of the Women's Leadership in Global Health Strategy Roundtables, hosted by Women in Global Health and the Global Health Centre at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, we authored a correspondence in The Lancet called :act now: a call to action for gender equality in global health.' In this piece, we called on the Members of the WHO Executive Board and Governing Bodies, as members of the global health community to highlight the current leadership gap in global health and to call upon the WHO and its Member States to take decisive steps to achieve gender parity.
CALL FOR COMMITMENTS
At the 69th World Health Assembly, we called on every stakeholder within the global health and development fields to take a critical look at their own organizations and to make commitments to advance women in global health leadership and achieve great gender equity in global health leadership at all levels. We are continuing this movement by requesting our community to make 1 to 2 commitments either on behalf of themselves or their organization on how they will advance gender equality in the global health sector before the next World Health Assembly.
WOMEN LEADERS IN GLOBAL HEALTH INITIATIVE
Women Leaders in Global Health (WLGHI) is an initiative of Women in Global Health and Global Health Council (GHC), the leading membership organization supporting and connecting advocates, implementers, private-sector and stakeholders around global health priorities. WLGHI was conceived in spring 2015 in response to the question “Why aren’t there more women represented in the highest levels of global health and what can we do about it?” with the aspiration to recognize and develop female leaders in global health through a gender equity lens.
WLGHI focuses on the strategic priority areas of Advocacy, Networking, Mentorship and Capacity Building to effect social change. We work with partners at all levels to achieve greater gender equality in health leadership and ensure the visibility and meaningful presence of women in global health decision-making and thought leadership.