As leaders of networks and multi-stakeholder partnerships that work to make gender equality and health for all a reality, we call on heads of state and governments to prioritise and resource this agenda every time they meet.
They have plenty of opportunities to do that this year, including at the G7 and G20, at the Bretton Woods meetings, at regional leadership dialogues, and with all member states of the United Nations including during the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Summit and the High-Level Meetings on health at this year’s UN General Assembly.
To kick start the change, we offer a four-point plan:
First, ensure that more women are in public and private sector leadership and decision-making roles and commit to gender parity by 2030.
Women should be represented at all levels, from President to CEO to director on boards and in managerial positions and as ministers of important portfolios such as finance and foreign affairs.
They must also be supported to stay in these demanding roles.
Second, ensure financial protection to minimise out-of-pocket health care payments so that all people can access the services they need.
Advance progress on universal health coverage, so that everyone, everywhere can access quality health services, including comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, without the risk of financial hardship.
Third, with women making up most of the health and care workforce, ensure gender equity in leadership, address underpaid and unpaid work with adequate remuneration, close the gender pay gap, and invest in safe and decent work.
Deliver training opportunities and violence- and discrimination-free environments for all health workers. This is beneficial for the quality of care, and the resilience of health systems, making us all less vulnerable to emergencies.
Fourth, we need to collect and analyse sex- and gender-disaggregated data, and practice gender-based budgeting, to ensure gender-responsive and gender-transformative policies that leave no one behind.
We need world leaders to focus on women and girls on International Women’s Day and on the other 364 days of the year. Everyone will benefit.