International Women’s Day 2024 - “Invest in women: Accelerate Progress.”
Dear colleagues, partners, and friends, It’s always a great pleasure to be with you to celebrate International Women’s Day. Reflecting on this year’s theme brought back memories of my initiatives investing in women—especially young women. The 2024 theme, “Invest in women: Accelerate Progress,” highlights the importance of gender equality, women’s and girls’ empowerment, and their rights to healthier lives. It’s a powerful development tool. In the WHO African Region, this has been our focus. It cuts across our programmes, projects, or activities. We’ve worked with regional partners and civil society stakeholders to understand the socioeconomic, systemic, and political barriers that negatively impact gender equality in access to healthcare. Some of our flagship initiatives include: - The Women’s Leadership Program, as part of the WHO African Region’s Transformation Agenda; - The WHO African Region Women in Leadership Masterclass: Power Up Your Executive Presence; - And the Africa Women Health Champions initiative, implemented in collaboration with the United Nations Volunteers programme. On 28 August 2022, we onboarded our 100th “Champion.” I would like to thank the United Nations Volunteers program, country partners, and all those who have contributed to the success of this initiative. Today marks its fourth anniversary. It has helped attract young African women aged 22 to 35 who are groomed, mentored, coached, and supported to grow to full potential for the future of our Organization. It has given the young “Champions” the opportunity to contribute to our work of improving people’s health and well-being while promoting gender equality and diversity. Besides, the Women’s Leadership Program, part of the WHO African Region Transformation Agenda, tailored to the needs of female staff in the workplace, has empowered and equipped women; it has given them the necessary tools for leadership positions in the Organization. Since 2020, 79 female senior staff from our Country Offices and the Regional Office have benefited from the programme. We’ve provided career-growth activities, including coaching, mentoring, and personal leadership assessment through the AFRO Women in Leadership Masterclass: Power Up Your Executive. Female leaders are supported in their goals to enhance their professional influence and impact as leaders in the health sector. In the last few years, we have strengthened country teams’ capacity to effectively integrate gender, equity, and human rights into health programmes. Over 80% of our Member States in the African Region are integrating gender, equity, and human rights considerations at varying gender-responsive scales. Message of the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti on behalf International Women’s Day.
