Nairobi — Health professionals and stakeholders across East Africa pledged to enhance gender equality in health leadership during the inaugural WomenLift Health East Africa Regional Dialogues.

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The event, hosted in Nairobi, convened 300 participants, including policymakers, civil society representatives, and academia, to address the pressing barriers preventing women from attaining senior leadership roles in the health sector.

Themed "Equipped to Lead: Centering Allyship and Gender Equality to Transform Global Health Leadership," the conference highlighted the stark gender gap in leadership positions.

According to the organizers, despite women constituting 70 percent of the global healthcare workforce, they hold only 25 percent of senior leadership roles in health institutions, with a mere 5 percent occupied by women from low- and middle-income countries.

Deputy Director General for Health in Kenya Zeinab Gura emphasized the necessity of women's health and leadership in achieving universal health coverage.

"Women leaders bring diverse perspectives that enhance health policy and decision-making," she noted, underscoring the importance of allyship between men and women in advancing this cause.

Amie Batson, President of WomenLift Health, stressed on her part that meaningful allyship is crucial for shifting power dynamics and fostering inclusive leadership.

"Leadership matters, and gender equality in health leadership is imperative for improving global health outcomes," she stated.

The dialogues also advocated for investments in mentorship, skills training, and supportive workplace policies to foster women's advancement.

Without significant change, it is projected that women will need 140 years to achieve equal representation in leadership roles.