Gender equality in the 21st century: Overcoming barriers to women's leadership in global health
Authors: Smith Sonya G. , Sinkford Jeanne C. 
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this manuscript is to provide an overview of the significant role that women play in providing global health care, barriers encountered to achieving gender equality in global health leadership, and to propose key recommendations for advancing gender equality in global health decision‐making through the integration of gender mainstreaming, gender‐based analysis, and gender transformative leadership (GTL) approaches.

Method

Data were evaluated to determine the participation rate of women in global health care and social sector roles in comparison to men. Gender equality data from the United Nations, World Health Organization, Organization for Economic Co‐operation and Development, International Labour Organization, and other resources were analyzed to assess the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on gender equality with an emphasis on women in global health leadership positions, the health care and social sector, and gender equality measures for girls and women throughout the world. The literature was examined to identify persistent barriers to gender equality in global health leadership positions. Additionally, a review of the literature was conducted to identify key strategies and recommendations for achieving gender equality in global health decision‐making; integrating gender mainstreaming; conducting gender‐based analysis; and adopting GTL programs, incentives, and policies to advance gender equality in global health organizations.

Findings

Women represent 70% of the health and social care sector global workforce but only 25% of senior global health leadership roles. Since 2018, there has been a lack of meaningful change in the gender equality policy arenas at global health organizations that has led to significant increases in women serving in global leadership decision‐making senior positions. During the pandemic in 2020, there were nearly 100 open vacancies—one‐quarter of CEO and board chair positions—at global health organizations, but none were filled by women. Women disproportionately provide caregiving and unpaid care work, and the pandemic has increased this burden with women spending 15 hours a week more on domestic labor than men. A lack of uniform, state‐sponsored paid parental leave and support for childcare, eldercare, and caregiving, which is overwhelmingly assumed by women, serve as major barriers to gender parity in global health leadership and the career advancement of women.

Conclusion

The pandemic has adversely impacted women in global health care and social sector roles. During the pandemic, there has been a widening of the gender pay gap, a lack of gains for women in global health leadership positions, an increase in caregiving responsibilities for women, and more women and girls have been pushed back into extreme poverty than men and boys. Globally, there is still resistance to women serving in senior leadership roles, and social and cultural norms, gender stereotypes, and restrictions on women's rights are deeply intertwined with barriers that reinforce gender inequality in global health leadership.

To ensure comprehensive human rights and that equitable workforce opportunities are available, the concept of gender equality must be expanded within the global health community to consistently include not only women and girls and men and boys, but also persons who identify as nonbinary and gender nonconforming. Efforts to eliminate remnants of systemic and structural gender discrimination must also incorporate gender mainstreaming, gender‐based analysis, and gender transformative approaches to achieve gender equality throughout global health systems and organizations.