In 1948, as the UK emerged from the horrors of the Second World War, the NHS was born. Its core founding principle was that free, high quality care would be delivered to all who need it, regardless of class, wealth, gender, ethnicity and so on.
In 2022, as we begin to recover from the global pandemic, International Women’s Day comes as a timely reminder of the work that is still to be done to realise our aspirations of having a gender equal NHS, free of discrimination and bias. Arguably, the chaos caused by COVID-19 gives us a once in a generation opportunity to ensure that the case for diversity is explicitly part of our recovery plan.
There is so much evidence from around the world that children have far better prospects if their mothers are healthy and educated – that’s why gender equality is the 5th UN Sustainable Development Goal. The case for investing in and supporting women as a means of combating poverty, disease and malnutrition is now solid, and this is a challenge we take very seriously at RCPCH.
In both our Equality Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) and Climate Change work we have ambitious goals for advocating for children and young people. If we are serious about addressing the sustainability challenges posed by climate change, and the inclusion problems faced by so many children and young people, then we have to tackle head on the health and welfare of girls and women around the world.
I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.
The theme for . This is an open invitation for women and men to work together to create a gender equal world. Promoting gender equity does not imply the fall of men – quite the contrary: we need everyone to play a role in forging gender parity.
I count myself lucky to work in a specialty that now has so many truly inspiring women who are increasingly moving and shaking the world we live and work in. Women’s place in medicine, and more broadly in healthcare sciences, is secure, but the challenge is to ensure every woman can reach her true potential. Women cannot and do not want to do this on their own. Being aware of and calling out bias and discrimination is crucial, and every one of us can do this.
Let’s use 8 March 2022 to redouble our efforts to make our world one that is diverse and inclusive, and where difference is valued. Each of us has a part to play in that mission.