This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Sadia Khalid, a dedicated professional with an extensive academic background, holding an MBBS and an MD degree from Tallinn, Estonia. 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.
Despite comprising 70% of the health workforce, women fill only 25% of senior and a mere 5% of top positions in health organizations. This glaring gender disparity underscores the urgent need for greater diversity in global health leadership to ensure a broad spectrum of perspectives and ideas inform policies and priorities. Interviews and literature reviews have shed light on the key challenges faced by women in global health at individual, organizational, and societal levels. To address these challenges, initiatives aimed at advancing women’s leadership must prioritize five key priorities.
The underrepresentation of women in global health leadership roles is a significant concern, especially considering their pivotal role in frontline healthcare delivery and caregiving. However, systemic barriers persist, including implicit biases within the health industry and challenges balancing work and family responsibilities. Research indicates that women in medicine and science often face higher standards and are channelled towards less-recognized support tasks, contributing to gender pay gaps and limited career advancement opportunities.
Recent efforts by organizations like the Centre for Creative Leadership and Women Lift Health have conducted in-depth interviews and literature reviews to understand the challenges women encounter in global health leadership. The findings highlight a persistent gender imbalance in leadership positions, with women experiencing barriers at individual, organizational, and societal levels across different cultural contexts.
Individual-level challenges include tensions between work and family responsibilities, a lack of self-belief, and fear of risk-taking, leading to the “Imposter Syndrome” phenomenon. At the organizational level, women encounter obstacles such as a lack of networks, mentors, and biased recruitment policies. Societal challenges include systemic gender bias and societal expectations that undermine women’s leadership potential.
To address these barriers effectively, initiatives focused on advancing women’s leadership should prioritize five key priorities:
1. Targeting individual-level challenges: Providing training resources to address self-silencing, lack of self-confidence, and fear of risk-taking is essential. Leadership development programs must go beyond technical skills to cultivate leadership abilities, including coaching, mentoring, and peer networks.
2. Creating inclusive organizational cultures: Organizations should examine their internal systems and processes to ensure they create supportive environments for women. This includes implementing policies for pay equity, paid leave, and flexible work arrangements, as well as fostering environments free from harassment and discrimination.
3. Promoting gender-transformative policies at the societal level: Broadening gender norms and promoting gender equality in global health leadership are crucial. Engaging policymakers and high-level influencers to elevate the value of women’s leadership and address existing barriers is essential.
4. Collaborating with partners to scale impact: Initiatives working to advance women’s leadership should collaborate with a diverse range of organizations and stakeholders to drive meaningful change at scale. Sharing best practices, and resources, and leveraging institutional networks can amplify the impact of these efforts.
5. Contextualizing solutions for local environments: Recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, initiatives must tailor solutions to local contexts, considering cultural and social norms and barriers.
The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of women’s leadership in addressing global health crises. Countries led by women have demonstrated effective responses to the pandemic, highlighting the positive outcomes of diverse leadership. Therefore, empowering women’s leadership in health is not only an issue of equity but also a strategic imperative for achieving better health outcomes globally.
Moving forward, efforts to advance women’s leadership in global health must be intensified and enhanced. Traditional approaches are insufficient to drive the necessary change. Embracing diverse voices and perspectives and demanding inclusion in leadership roles are essential steps toward addressing the complex challenges facing global health today. By empowering women’s leadership, we can harness the full potential of the global health workforce and drive positive change on a global scale.
About the author
Sadia Khalid is a dedicated professional with an extensive academic background, holding an MBBS and an MD degree. She is an Early-stage Researcher (ESR), accomplished Medical Writer, and Research Engineer based at Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) in Estonia.
Sadia’s research interests span a wide spectrum within the realm of medical sciences, including Molecular Medicine, Cell Biology, Infectious Diseases, Bacteriology, Hepatology, and Gastroenterology. Her work is underpinned by a strong belief in the mission of promoting public health, safety, and awareness.
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