Future of Health Conference opens on gender inequality

The Future of Health conference opens on Wednesday to spotlight gender inequality made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. The conference, planned to be virtual, convenes for two days policymakers, healthcare professionals, development partners and non-government organisations eager to find solutions in Nigeria’s health sector.  Decades of progress in gender equality still leave women with fewer […]

The Future of Health conference opens on Wednesday to spotlight gender inequality made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The conference, planned to be virtual, convenes for two days policymakers, healthcare professionals, development partners and non-government organisations eager to find solutions in Nigeria’s health sector.

 Decades of progress in gender equality still leave women with fewer opportunities for economic participation than men, less access to basic and higher education, and less political representation.

Gender equality comes into the limelight because of the pandemic.

A recent study found that women accounted for 70% of the global health workforce at the frontline of COVID-19 response, only one in 10 representatives on COVID-19 task forces was a woman.

“Reducing gender inequality and addressing harmful gender norms should be a greater priority to ensure that healthcare delivery is gender-responsive,” said Vivianne Ihekweazu, managing director of Nigeria Health Watch, in a statement announcing the conference.

“Elevating the voices of women and girls through the media, ensuring more gender-balanced representation at the leadership level supported by men standing in solidarity with women should drive improved sustainable development outcomes.”

The flagship conference by Nigeria Health Watch has been tagged Breaking Glass Ceilings: Gender Equality for Sustainable Development.

Planned panel discussions will focus on gender equality for quality women’s health care, women in leadership, the importance of having men as change agents to drive gender equality and the “girl child dividend”—timely investment in adolescents as a building block to rapid economic development.

According to Shubham Chaudhuri, Country Director, World Bank Nigeria, “To accelerate Nigeria’s slow demographic transition and to quickly realize a potential demographic dividend, Nigeria needs to invest more in its youths particularly girls, who are able to effectively contribute to the economy if they are equipped with the necessary skills and capabilities to participate in the labour market”.