Global Health 50/50 Annual Report Gives Global Fund High Marks for Gender Equality
18 July 2023
GENEVA – The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria continues to be rated as a “very high performing” public health organization for our gender-related approach and policies in this year’s Global Health 50/50 Report. In 2021, the Global Health 50/50 Report had also awarded top marks to the Global Fund on gender equality.
“Advancing health equity, gender equality and human rights is at the heart of the Global Fund’s work to end epidemics,” said Marijke Wijnroks, Head of the Strategic Investment & Impact Division at the Global Fund. “Tackling gender inequality starts from within – and extends to our mission and objectives. We are encouraged to continue pushing ourselves to be better across both.”
The report is published annually by Global Health 50/50, an independent, evidence-driven initiative to advance action and accountability for gender equality in global health. Each year, they review the gender-related policies and practices of nearly 200 influential global health organizations, considering factors like parental leave, diversity, equity and inclusion policies, and the proportion of women in leadership roles.
The 2023 report focuses on sexual and reproductive health and rights policies as an area that plays a decisive role in promoting equal opportunity in the workplace. However, the report paints a less-than-positive picture overall. Analysis into the number and quality of policies on menstrual periods, menopause, fertility treatments, abortion and parental leave, among others, reveals the workplace is worse for women.
“The report demonstrates that this is an area many organizations continue to struggle with, and that we must take the long view in judging progress,” said Nienke Mulder, Chief Human Resources Officer at the Global Fund. “Looking back at our evolution in recent years – with two women now at the helm of the Global Fund’s Board, women filling more than half of our Management Executive Committee positions, and nearly 50% of our line managers who are female – we are convinced that we are moving in the right direction. We are also deeply committed to continuous, further improvement and expect to see more gender- and culture-related objectives fulfilled as our renewed and strengthened ambitions in this arena take shape.”