This month, the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, or WHO EMRO, will elect its next regional director. With only one female candidate out of six in the running, this is a prime opportunity to critically analyze WHO's leadership rulebook, and how it needs to be adapted to ensure gender-transformative leadership for health in the region, and globally.
In February 2017, colleagues including the head of Women in Global Health, Dr. Roopa Dhatt, issued a call to action for gender equality in global health, specifically highlighting the underrepresentation of women leadership within WHO. Six years later, this analysis reaffirms that women’s status in global health leadership remains unchanged, and in some cases, has even declined. We see this even in the World Health Assembly, or WHA, where there has never been more than 30% of women chief delegates, despite women comprising almost 75% of the health workforce in some countries.
Efforts to advance gender equity are especially important for the countries that are part of WHO’s Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. The Global Gender Gap Report 2023, in which higher scores indicate worse gender gaps, ranks most EMRO countries above 130 of the 145 included countries. The report estimates that it will take around 150 years for the Middle East and North Africa region to close this gender gap, which remains the largest of all regions.
About the authors
Malvikha Manoj
Malvikha Manoj is a public health practitioner focusing on mental health policy, systems, and research. She is a co-founder of the Women in Global Health, UAE Chapter, and co-founder and co-executive director of the International Working Group for Health Systems Strengthening, a global community that convenes emerging public health professionals and catalyzes action toward local and global health systems strengthening.
Dr. Norhan Bader
Dr. Norhan Bader is a co-founder and vice chair of Women in Global Health, Egypt chapter, promoting women leaders in global health. Norhan is a physician by training who graduated from Cairo University with extensive experience in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights, or SRHR, for more than 10 years. She is the SRHR program manager at the Center for Development Services.
Dr. Goran Zangana
Dr. Goran Zangana is a member of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and is currently an acting consultant in acute medicine at NHS Scotland. He is a member of the board of directors of Health Systems Global where he is the co-chair of the advocacy working group. He is NHS Lothian lead for international medical graduates and is NHS Scotland Global Citizenship champion. Goran Zangana is originally from Kurdistan. He undertook his initial medical training and practice in Iraq.
Shabnum Sarfraz
Shabnum Sarfraz is the global director for gender and health as well as the deputy executive director at Women in Global Health. She is a seasoned development professional with over 15 years of experience managing projects worth $1.2 billion and she leads social development efforts in Pakistan. She coordinates health, education, and social welfare initiatives, serving as a key liaison with government officials and international partners.
