Women in Global Health Somalia
UNFPA Somalia and the Somali Institute for Development Research and Analysis (SIDRA) have partnered with the global movement Women in Global Health to launch Women in Global Health Somalia. On January 29th, 2019 in Garowe, Somalia, women leaders in global health gathered to celebrate the first WGH chapter in Africa. The WGH Somalia chapter highlights the opportunities for multi-sectoral, cross-country collaboration to bring diversity and perspective in our global mission for gender equality.
Somalia has one of the highest gender inequality index (GII) in the world at 0.776 out of 1 (2012), placing Somalia at 4th standing worldwide in terms of gender disparity. Gender inequality is a persistent societal problem in Somalia, perpetuated primarily by cultural norms and traditions. This is further exacerbated by conflict, insecurity, and widespread poverty. As a result, women are impeded from fully accessing education, health, and employment, leaving many without access to education or opportunities.
The need for a WGH Chapter in Somalia grew out of a frustration for the lack of representation of women in Somalia's health leadership positions. Women comprise more than 75% of the health workforce yet occupy approximately less than 10% of leadership positions at local, state and national levels as well as in INGOs and government bodies.
Recognizing the momentum and realizing the issues discussed by global WGH affects women in Somalia as well. The need to join the movement was in order to illuminate and celebrate the diverse Somali women working in global health and the larger health sector. WGH Somalia saw the need to shed light on their crucial contributions to the re-building of the health systems. Hence, WGH Somalia introduces the first African WGH list of women in global health - below are the list of 50 women who are leading the gender equality in global health movement in Somalia.
