The Pan-African Parliament (PAP), represented by the Acting President, Hon. Lucia Dos Passos today joined the African Union community in celebrating International Women’s Day. The event was commemorated through a virtual policy dialogue titled, “Closing the Gap: How Women’s Leadership Strengthens Health Systems in Africa, hosted by the African Union Commission (AUC).
The Pan-African Parliament convened with panellists from the Ministry of Health of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD). The purpose was to exchange insights into respective efforts aimed at empowering African women to assume leadership roles and to provide recommendations for strengthening health systems across the continent.
According to statistics, women globally occupy approximately 70% of health worker positions, with over 80% dedicated to nursing and midwifery roles. Collectively, they play a significant role in making health-related purchasing and usage decisions, functioning as crucial contributors to the health sector in various capacities such as health workers, caregivers, decision-makers, and advocates. Despite their pivotal role, women encounter numerous barriers and challenges that hinder their full participation and leadership within health systems.
In her intervention, Hon. Lucia Dos Passos sought to commend the immense role women have played in fortifying our healthcare systems to date. “We must acknowledge the essential role played by women's leadership in strengthening our healthcare systems. Their leadership is characterized by empathy, collaboration, and innovation. It has been proven that when women lead, healthcare systems become more equitable, the quality of care improves, and communities prosper. Putting women in charge of health governance contributes to the development of comprehensive and empathetic health policies that prioritize the needs of diverse populations. Investment in women's leadership is an investment in robust health systems.
Citing examples of where progress has been made and calling on countries to scale up investments in health, the Acting President of the Pan-African Parliament told the audience about the role played by the institution she leads in promoting and facilitating women's leadership in health systems.
“The Pan-African Parliament has always been at the forefront of defending equality and justice on the continent. Our commitment to gender equality is a strategic decision to harness the full potential of our societies. As part of its missions, the Parliament, through its Committee on Health and the work of its Women’s Caucus, actively promotes and facilitates the implementation of African Union health policies by developing model laws to consolidate best practices on the continent. Closing the gap requires invigorating our health systems with the unique perspectives and skills that women bring to the forefront. The actions taken by women representatives in the Pan-African Parliament aim to promote policies and programs that not only recognize the worth of women but also amplify their voices and magnify their impact,” said Hon. Dos Passos.
She continued: “To this end, the Committee on Gender Equality has undertaken regional consultations to gather the views of the citizens we represent, intending to finalize the l framework of the draft model law on Gender Equality and Equity to be adopted by the Pan-African Parliament. This approach takes into account all aspects, including the place of women in the healthcare sector. Through its Permanent Committee on Health, which includes a significant number of women in the hierarchy, the Pan-African Parliament continues to amplify its actions to promote the 2001 Abuja Declaration concerning the allocation of 15% of national budgets to the health sector, among other initiatives.
In collaboration with UNAIDS, a mapping of best practices in health financing is underway in 12 countries. This study will also highlight the role of women and their ability to make an effective contribution to health financing. With women at the forefront, the Pan-African Parliament is stepping up parliamentary campaigns on traditional medicine to facilitate its integration into African health systems. Indeed, women parliamentarians are behind calls for the establishment of a global legal framework for the continental trade in medicinal plants.”
In her concluding remarks, Hon. Dos Passos noted that it is the Pan-African Parliament’s mandate to chart a new course - one that overcomes the peaks of parity, plunges into the valleys of inclusion, and navigates the rivers of opportunity. “Together, we are committed to bridging the gap and making room at the top for the women who will lead our healthcare systems into a future of prosperity, equity, and resilience.”
In 2024, International Women’s Day is being commemorated under the theme: Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress (#InvestInWomen). Despite women's contribution to health systems and supporting the realization of health for all, women hold only 25% of senior leadership roles in the sector. If leadership roles were allocated on merit, then since women are 70% of health workers, 70% of health sector leaders would be women. This is the opposite of the current situation where men hold 75% of leadership roles but are only 30% of health workers. This gendered leadership gap in healthcare needs to be filled among other challenges, hence the cruciality of bringing women leaders together for health policy dialogue this International Women’s Day.
