Heroines of Health 2019

Women make up 70 percent of the global health workforce and contribute nearly $3 trillion to the health and social sector. They are the leaders and drivers of health in their communities, and without them, universal health coverage (UHC) will not be possible. Far too often their life-saving contributions go unrecognized and their inspiring stories stay untold. We at Women in Global Health want to change that. For the third year in a row, alongside the 72nd World Health Assembly, Women in Global Health is thrilled to award seven remarkable women the 2019 Heroines of Health honor for their leadership in global health.

Recognition and profile-raising of female leaders in global health is a key priority of Women in Global Health and our partners. We know leading women like our Heroines of Health have a tremendous impact on shaping the future of global health and deserve to be heard. By recognizing these remarkable women and their achievements, we believe we can drive necessary change for gender equity matters and positively influence local, regional, and global health policies related to UHC. Aligned with our community’s shared commitment to UHC, these extraordinary women are advancing health for all through dedicated efforts to strengthen community health and/or the community health workforce.

We thank Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic Foundation, Pathfinder International, and United Nations Foundation for their help to make this important recognition possible.

Meet the 2019 Heroines