women in global health

Women in Global Health (WGH) is a global, women-led movement founded in 2015 by four early-career women who initially connected online. Since its establishment as a volunteer-driven non-profit organization, WGH has grown significantly and now includes 58 chapters in 53 countries, with approximately 6,500 members and 100,000 supporters in over 100 countries. Our members come from various sectors of healthcare, including nurses, midwives, female doctors, public health professionals, health policymakers, community health workers, researchers, female pharmacists, and private health sector workers.

WGH focuses on four key advocacy areas:

• Equal representation in global health leadership: We advocate for fair representation of women in leadership positions in global health.
• New social contract for women in health and care: We strive for better working conditions and recognition for women in health and care.
• Gender equality in emergency preparedness and response: We promote gender-responsive approaches in emergency preparedness and response.
• Gender-responsive universal health coverage: We aim for health coverage that addresses the needs of all genders.

Our mission is to create a world where women are valued as leaders in global health and recognized as catalysts for better health for all. We believe that the voices of women, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, must be heard. Our values are based on a collaborative, supportive, and empowering approach.

WGH works to strengthen health systems and improve health security, advance the empowerment of women, and promote national and global economic growth. To this end, we mobilize networks, foster dialogue through events and workshops, support career development, and create opportunities for mentorship. We collect and analyze data, monitor the political environment, and make targeted policy recommendations. Additionally, we engage with global health leaders to achieve improvements in policies and practices and hold leaders accountable for their commitments.

By leveraging our women-led global network, we have made significant progress in gender equality in global health over the past five years. We have established official relationships with the World Health Organization (WHO), built a large online movement, and conducted numerous events and workshops to amplify women's voices. Furthermore, we have engaged in political dialogues with global health leaders and policymakers to drive gender-transformative progress in the health sector.

Women in Global Health is more than just an organization – it is a global movement advocating for a fairer and healthier world. Through our work, we help ensure that women's voices are heard and that health systems become stronger and more equitable.

• 1 - https://womeningh.org/about/
• 2 - https://womeningh.org
• 3 - https://www.dghwi.de/images/zeitschrift/ZHWi/ZHWi-15_08-01_200519.pdf
• 4 - https://mediatum.ub.tum.de/doc/1548492/1548492.pdf