Breaking Barriers: Empowering Women’s Leadership in Global Health

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.

In the realm of global health, the empowerment of women as leaders is not merely a matter of equity but a strategic imperative for driving transformative change and addressing complex health challenges. Despite comprising a significant portion of the healthcare workforce, women continue to face systemic barriers that hinder their progression into leadership positions. To address these barriers effectively, initiatives aimed at advancing women’s leadership must prioritize key priorities at individual, organizational, and societal levels.

At the individual level, women encounter numerous challenges that inhibit their leadership potential. These challenges include self-silencing, a lack of self-confidence, and a fear of risk-taking, often leading to the phenomenon known as the “Imposter Syndrome.” To support comprehensive leadership development, organizations must provide training resources that go beyond technical skills to cultivate leadership abilities. This includes coaching, mentoring, creating peer networks, and enabling membership in professional associations to help women leaders confidently expand their voice, influence, and impact.

Organizations must also focus on creating more inclusive and supportive cultures, processes, and systems to enable women’s leadership. Internal systems and processes must be examined to ensure they create enabling environments for women. This includes implementing policies for pay equity, paid leave, and flexible work arrangements for both men and women. Additionally, fostering environments where sexual harassment, discrimination, and bias are not tolerated is crucial to promoting gender equality and supporting women’s advancement in leadership roles.

At the societal level, broader gender norms and those governing the global health field must be changed to value and recognize women’s leadership and gender equality. High-level influencers and policymakers must be engaged to elevate the value of women’s leadership and address existing barriers. Overcoming these barriers will require policies that actively sponsor women’s advancement and programs to support women’s leadership training. Collaborative efforts with partners are essential to scale impact and drive meaningful change. Leadership training programs in global health will be more impactful if they are part of a larger movement to advance gender equality.

It is also essential to contextualize solutions for local environments, recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to advancing women’s leadership in global health. Policies and solutions across all sectors, including health, must be locally led and implemented, considering local cultural and social norms and barriers. By tailoring interventions to local contexts, initiatives can effectively address the unique challenges faced by women leaders in different regions.

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. 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.