Dear WGH Community,

The COVID-19 pandemic presents an unprecedented challenge to global institutions – not just health systems, but to our collective social, economic and political systems worldwide. 

Put simply: Coronavirus will define our time and fundamentally reshape our world. 

The current pandemic shines a harsh light on inequality and shows that ours is an interconnected global society. Viruses don’t respect national borders, and the rapid spread of COVID-19 is due in large part to the ways power and privilege play out in the provision of healthcare worldwide. Billions of people lack Universal Health Coverage (UHC) – some without access to any care at all – and their vulnerability leaves us all vulnerable.

Many in the extended Women in Global Health community are health workers fighting on the frontlines of this pandemic. Our chapters are sharing evidence, materials and learning throughout our robust network of passionate women committed to equitable and accessible health for all. As always, we are committed to supporting this knowledge-sharing and community building and will continue to facilitate this with our network and partners.

But the current state of global health requires even more decisive action. That’s why we’re doubling down on our Operation 50/50 campaign, which demands equal representation for women in global health leadership because diverse perspectives strengthen health systems and save lives – and we can’t win the fight against this (and other) health challenges by using only half of our global talent pool. The voices of women, especially women from the Global South, must be heard.

Today, we’re launching Operation COVID 50/50, a campaign for inclusive pandemic leadership. With this campaign, we’re making five calls to action to strengthen the global response to COVID-19 and prepare health systems for future pandemics:

1. Include women in global health security decision making structures and public discourse

2. Provide health workers, most of whom are women, with safe and decent working conditions;

3. Recognize and value women’s work in health and social care by bringing women’s unpaid work into the formal labor market and redistributing unpaid family care equally between men and women;

4. Adopt a gender-responsive approach to health security data collection/analysis and response management;

5. Fund women’s movements – especially women’s organizations in low- and middle-income countries – to unleash capacity to address critical gender issues.

Global and local solidarity are vital as this emergency escalates. Movements like ours, which work beyond borders are key to confronting this global threat. As part of this emergency response, it is critical that women are enabled as decision makers at all levels – from global to community. Please join us in confronting the power and privilege that undermine global health by preventing women from contributing equally to the fight against challenges like this pandemic.

As we re-frame our 2020 activities in light of COVID-19, we ask that you support our Five Asks for Global Health Security -  and join the conversation using #COVID5050. 

Keep an eye out for more news and ways to engage in our community as Operation COVID 50/50 unfolds. 

Dr. Roopa Dhatt, Executive Director and Co-founder, Women in Global Health

P.S. Join the conversation and show your support for Women in Global Health’s five asks by tweeting the graphic below, tagging @WomeninGH and using #COVID5050.