A step towards promoting equity in health leadership: Women in Global Health Nigeria Launch
3 May 2023
In 2020, a group of dynamic women came together to establish the Women in Global Health (WGH) Nigeria Chapter, with the goal of promoting gender-transformative leadership in health. Only three years later, their vision became a reality as the Chapter was officially launched, marking a significant milestone towards promoting equity in health leadership. The launch event was a celebration of the tireless work and dedication of Nigerian women who are shaping global health programming, policy, and advocacy in communities in Nigeria and beyond.
Distinguished representatives from the Federal Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Women Affairs, health advocates, representatives of civil society organizations, and a range of national and international health-focused organizations gathered to attend the launch.
“I’m so happy with the launch of WGH Nigeria. Because if Nigeria makes it, if Nigeria recognizes women’s leadership in health, the world would have recognized women’s leadership in global health,” said Her Excellency Toyin Saraki, Founder and President of Wellbeing Foundation Africa, while pledging support for the organization’s mission to promote gender equity in health.
“I hope that we will lead 206 million people in recognizing, appreciating, remunerating, redeeming and replenishing women’s leadership in health and around the world,” she said before officially launching the Chapter.
Dr. Roopa Dhatt, Executive Director of Women in Global Health, celebrated the launch by addressing the audience and highlighting the importance of promoting gender equity in health leadership. “It is more and more evident that locking women out of senior leadership positions is severely impacting global health delivery and global health security,” said Dr. Dhatt. “The continued segregation of women into health jobs accorded lower status and lower pay is not only a violation of women’s basic human rights, but also a clear manifestation of the widespread discrimination in the health sector.”
A panel discussion led by Dr. Peju Adeniran with researchers, Dr. Hadiza Mudi, Dr. Adanna Egwim, and Dr. Fatima Lawal-Lah, examined the root causes of the underrepresentation of women in health leadership in Nigeria, particularly those working as Community Health Workers and the barriers they face to career progression. The panelists shared key findings and recommendations from Nigeria, which have contributed to Women in Global Health’s recent policy report, “The State of Women and Leadership in Global Health.”
“We are not seeing enough women in leadership positions,” said Dr. Adeniran, Co-Founder of Women in Global Health Nigeria. “Our aim is to see that the work of women in the health sector is well advertised, so that we can have an equal number of men and women making leadership decisions in Nigeria. The health sector is one of the most important sectors in Nigeria. Without health, there is no security, economy and national progress.”
The launch of Women in Global Health Nigeria has taken a significant step towards promoting gender equity in health leadership and fostering a more inclusive and diverse health and care workforce there. As Dr. Dhatt emphasized, “Change is possible when intentional action is taken, when we get this right, the benefits of gender equity in the health workforce will drive stronger health systems, delivering better health for all.”
