Empowering women in healthcare of 2024

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Fatima Ildirimzade, graduate of Baku Modern International School. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.

Nowadays, gender equality is an important aspect of our lives. More and more people are seemed to accept gender equality, though, for example, the difference rate of women and men in the workplace is quite big. Some of the reasons are the unfairness of pay and promotion. 

Looking at reasons of this problem we can confidently say that everything comes from society and social presentation. For example, one of the reasons is the presentation of women in society as housewives, the mindset of society about employment of women as if it can avert them from building a family. Unfortunately, women often are the victims of discrimination because of their gender, so they generally don’t get the same payment, promotion and aren’t treated at work equally. When it comes to a job, this can lead to the reduction of the employment rate and as a result to a massive decrease of women at workplace.

There are many things that can be done to diminish such thing and one of them is empowering women. This should be done through education since childhood. Providing young girls with good education and teaching them about equal rights can help develop a right and strong mindset, which is needed in leadership. The next and important thing that can be implemented is raising awareness and creating supportive, non-judgmental environments by using social platforms, news, media and etc. For example, seeing women in leadership positions serves as an inspiration and encourages others to pursue their own dreams and reach goals. That is why it is so important to promote and celebrate women’s achievements in each and every field. A lot of people think that this method is not as successful as any others, however, it is proven that nowadays the biggest influence on people has social media platforms, so this method also needs to be put in practice. A very similar thing is social movement organizations, their impact also needs to be considered. 

All of these mentioned steps involve the most crucial thing which is breaking down gender stereotypes and biases.

Coming back to the issue of gender pay gap we can confidently state that ensuring equal pay for equal work is not only fair, but it also motivates women to strive for leadership positions. 

Empowering women is a collective effort that requires the commitment of individuals, organizations, and governments worldwide. By working together, we can create a more inclusive and diverse world where women have equal opportunities to lead, work and create.

About the author

Fatima Ildirimzade cultivated an enduring passion for medicine since her formative years. Her journey commenced at Baku Modern International School. She graduated with excellence, thanks to her hardworking nature. From an early age, she pursued additional English classes and attained fluency in the language. Currently studying at Azerbaijan Medical University, Fatima continues to excel in her pursuit of a medical career. Fuelled by her aspiration to heal others, Fatima embarked on a relentless pursuit of knowledge, striving to fulfill her dream of becoming a doctor and a scientist. Fatima’s trajectory exemplifies a remarkable blend of diligence and aspiration.