Establish a New Social Contract for Women’s Health and Care Workers

Women form the majority of the health and care workforce but remain concentrated in insecure, underpaid roles while carrying disproportionate unpaid care responsibilities. Workforce shortages, burnout, and gender-based violence, including online harassment, threaten retention and leadership pathways.

Health systems rely on women’s labor without guaranteeing their rights or economic security.

Our Approach

Women in Global Health advances workforce justice through:

Advancing Fair Pay

Promote pay transparency and equal pay for work of equal value
Advocate recognition and redistribution of unpaid care work

Ensuring Safe Working Conditions

Advance zero-tolerance policies for harassment and exploitation
Promote survivor-centered reporting systems
Advocate safeguards against technology-facilitated gender-based violence

Integrating Gender in Workforce Financing

Align workforce planning and financing with gender equity in remuneration and leadership access

Building Collective Power

Convene civil society and professional networks
Position women health workers as rights holders and decision-makers

Why It Matters

A just workforce is essential to health system resilience. Protecting and investing in women’s health workers strengthens care delivery, retention, and long-term system stability.

Flagship Outcomes

1

Unpaid care economy elevated in global health discourse

WGH advanced recognition of the 5Rs framework, reframing unpaid care as a structural subsidy to health systems.

2

National institutions adopt gender-responsive workplace reforms

In Nigeria, health institutions revised staff welfare policies and rotation systems following feminist leadership training.

3

Community Health Promoters centered in leadership reform (Kenya)

The Kenya Ministry of Health validated a feminist leadership curriculum for frontline women health workers.