New Policy Action Paper highlights feasible policy interventions for addressing the under representation of women in global health and care leadership
Women comprise almost 70% of the global health and care workforce but hold only 25% of senior leadership positions. A new WHO Policy Action Paper Closing the leadership gap: gender equity and leadership in the global health and care workforce launched on 8th June 2021 by the WHO’s Global Health Workforce Network’s Gender Equity Hub, which is co-chaired by WHO and Women in Global Health. The Policy Action Paper explores the current status of women in leadership in the health and care sector, which employs millions of women worldwide, and the negative impact for women and health systems of their underrepresentation in leadership. The Policy Action Paper contributes insights into women’s leadership in health and care and policy interventions to ensure more gender equitable and representative leadership.
The Action Paper builds on a WHO report published in 2019 – Delivered by Women, Led by Men: A gender and Equity Analysis of the Global Health and Social Workforce’ – which highlighted a significant gender leadership gap in the health and social workforce and provides practical examples of gender transformative policies for policymakers to incorporate gender equity into health and care workforce policies.
Originally posted on WHO website.
By Sonali Reddy, WHO
