“Respect female colleagues”
“No gender pay gap”
“An end to sexual harassment”
These are the words of Hand-n-Hand volunteers and community members, when asked what gender equity meant to them. In the lead up to International Women’s Day, we asked the Hand-n-Hand community to share with us their vision of gender equity in healthcare, and we are grateful for and inspired by all the responses we received.
On International Women's Day, we celebrate all the women that make up the majority of our workforce. We look forward to a more equitable world in healthcare and beyond, so that we can better look after our patients’ wellbeing and our own, unhindered by systemic barriers.
Here are the messages we received from the community, answering the question "What does gender equity in healthcare look like to you?":
"Gender equity in healthcare is transectional. This means it includes women of colour, women of all religions, women of diverse ability, and those in the LGBTQI+ community, among others." — Shahina, Emergency physician
"Men not dismissing the value of 'soft medicine' and learning how to do the same." — Anonymous, Doctor
“An end to sexual harassment in the workplace.” — Kay, Pharmacist
“Making sure that women in healthcare are not penalised financially for choosing to have children and that this also does not impact their ability to climb the career ladder." — Anonymous
“Not getting strange looks when I say I want to go into surgery." — Anonymous, Medical student
"An increased investment in research and programs and treatment which address the health of women across the world." — Kay, Pharmacist
"Not being condescending towards someone because she is a woman." — Anonymous
“Be kind to women.” — Paul, Doctor
"Having the same number of women in leadership positions as men." — Anonymous
