Portugal

Founded: 2018

In 2018 founding members Diana Vilela Breda and Marta Passadouro organised a Young Physicians Leadership Program (by the Interacademy Partnership) providing a specific leadership development program to young leaders from Portuguese speaking countries. This event underlined the importance of investing in emerging women health leaders as a way to promote gender equity in health. This led to the founding of the Portuguese Chapter of WGH, which is now in its infancy.

Coimbra Hospital and University Centre and the University of Coimbra formed a consortium – Coimbra Health. It is an active Member of M8 Alliance with special focus on Portuguese speaking countries around the world, and hosts WGH Portugal.

Our aims

The aims of WGH Portugal are as follows:

• Raise visibility of Portuguese women working in global health, based in Portugal or otherwise
• Empower thematic workgroups that allow an organic workflow and competency based growth – sexual and reproductive health and rights; education and capacity building; health systems strengthening and health policy
• Expand the Chapter´s network and reinforce the Chapter’s cohesion, internal organisation and social media
• Promote the Lusophone Initiative to expand women leadership, particularly aimed at the community of Portuguese-speaking African countries: Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Angola, Cape Verde and São Tomé and Principe, thus promoting contributions from the global south
• Prepare a strategic plan/action in line with national and European priorities and fundraising/funding applications.