For better health security, it’s time to end gender biases that keep women out of global health leadership positions. Whenever a high-profile health emergency breaks out or an influential commission needs experts, it seems global health reverts to the default of delivered by women, led by men. The message seems to be Health emergency! Step aside, ladies – men coming through. Although women make up 70 percent of the global health workforce, and although they work at all levels in health security—from the front lines of healthcare, to research labs, to health policy circles – they have not been represented equally in decision-making bodies that are informing our COVID-19 responses.

Dhatt, Roopa, et al. (2020). “Fighting COVID-19 With One Hand Tied Behind Our Backs?” Think Global Health, Council on Foreign Relations.