Work still needed to achieve gender equality in health
Global Health 50/50’s new report presents a detailed analysis of gender equality and diversity in global health leadership across 201 organisations active in global health.
Image: Global Health 50/50.
Global Health 50/50, an independent, evidence-driven initiative advancing action and accountability for gender equality, has released its highly anticipated 2024 Report, Gaining Ground?, a detailed analysis of gender equality and diversity within organisations working in Global Health.
This comprehensive study of 201 organisations reveals both significant progress and persistent disparities, urging immediate action for structural changes and accountability.
The report finds that, for the first time, gender parity has been achieved among nonprofit board chairs, with women now making up 51% of these positions. However, the report also highlights a stark reality: only 2% of nonprofit board seats are held by women from low-income countries, showing how people from low-income countries, particularly women, continue to be largely excluded from leadership roles and decision making globally.
Global Health 50/50 also crucially finds that women CEOs of nonprofits not only earn considerably less than their male counterparts but also control billions of dollars less in revenue. Men CEOs in US-based NGOs earn 28% more on average annually than their female counterparts, despite gender parity among nonprofit board chairs, an increase from an 18% gap in 2018. In 2021, the average total revenue of organisations led by men was more than double that of those led by women, at $389 million compared to $187 million.
At the heart of these findings is the deep-rooted bias that continues to favour men with disproportionate amounts of financial power. Additionally, the fact that half of the CEOs in the sample were women should also remind us that gender parity does not by itself equate to power parity.
The findings of the GH5050 Report are significant as they underscore both the progress made, and the substantial work still needed to achieve true gender equality.
Professors Sarah Hawkes and Kent Buse, Co-Founders of Global Health 50/50, “Achieving gender equality is not merely a lofty ideal; it is a fundamental human right and central to social justice. While our report shows hard won progress in some areas, the global health system is not yet working for everyone. The voices of women from low-income countries are rarely heard in the spaces where power is exercised. And even when women are present as leaders at decision-making tables, they are running smaller organisations and being paid substantially less than their male peers. Change is needed and we are convinced our efforts to facilitate accountability can contribute.”
Dr. Ayoade Alakija, Chair of the FIND Board, comments, “Global Health 50/50’s meticulous approach in shedding light on the disparities within global organisations deserves recognition. This report reveals encouraging signs of progress, such as the parity among board chairs, while also highlighting persistent challenges, such as the underrepresentation of women from low-income countries. The need to improve women’s representation in boardrooms and across leadership teams cannot be overstated. It’s not just about doing what’s right, it is also a strategic move that can significantly improve organisational performance and foster greater diversity, equity, and inclusion across organisations.”
Peter Cafferkey of Boncerto is a Trustee at Global 50/50 which is supported and showcased by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
