Women from various sectors, including academia, non-governmental and governmental institutions, and private sector institutions, shared their experiences of working in leadership positions in global health. The seminar provided an opportunity for participants to connect, share ideas, and collaborate with each other. Notably, it brought together the first female Dean of the Institute of Medicine at Tribhuvan University in Nepal, Prof. Dr. Dibya Shah, and the first female Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Oslo in Norway, Prof. Dr. Hanne Harbo Flinstad. Amongst a long list of prominent persons, we also had the honor of welcoming two Nepalese sitting MPs for the panel discussions, Hon. Dr. Arju Rana Deuba, Hon. Prof. Dr. Chanda Kar and Dr. Sangita Mishra, Additional Secretary of Ministry of Health.
The full seminar report has been added below.
Photo credit: Andrea Magugliani
The seminar highlighted the need to promote gender equity in leadership positions related to global health and provided valuable insights and strategies for achieving this goal. It demonstrated the power of bringing together women leaders from diverse sectors to share their experiences and ideas and collaborate towards a common goal of gender equality in global health. During the seminar, a diverse panel of experts were featured and each shared insights and experiences on topics such as education, unconscious bias, gender equality, and leadership. The panelists recognized the existence of institutional unconscious bias, which can manifest in various forms such as gender stereotyping and double standards. They emphasized the need to recognize and address institutional unconscious bias to create a more equitable and inclusive environment for women at the workplace. They also stressed the role of mentorship and networking in empowering women to achieve their goals and encouraged attendees to act towards promoting gender equality in their respective fields.
Photo credit: Andrea Magugliani
The seminar was hosted by Women in Global Health (WGH) Norway in partnership with Prof. Dr. Dibya Singh Shah, Dean from the Institute of Medicine at Tribhuvan University, Nepal. WGH provides a platform for women in global health to connect, share ideas, and advocate for gender equality in global health policies and practices. Through various initiatives, the network aim to empower women to take up leadership positions, increase their visibility in the field, and influence decision-making at all levels of global health. This meeting provides a welcome start to the development of a WGH chapter in Nepal.