As an organization affiliated with the United Nations Department of Global Communication, AMWA participates every year in the UN Commission on the Status of Women held in New York City. The year, the 69th UN CSW has special significance, as occurs during the 30th Anniversary year of the Beijing Conference for Women.

From Health to Equity: Women Shaping Global Progress Through Leadership and Care

AMWA organized the side event on March 10, From Health to Equity: Women Shaping Global Progress Through Leadership and Care, which was held in the Salvation Army Auditorium and led by Dr. Padmini Murthy (AMWA Global Health Lead) and Dr. Roberta Gebhard (AMWA Past President).

The gathering brought together experts and advocates from various fields to discuss critical issues affecting women’s health and leadership globally.

Dr. Eileen Barrett (AMWA President-elect) opened the event with a warm welcome to all attendees. She shared highlights of AMWA’s ongoing work to advance women physicians and improve the health of women. She shared an overview of AMWA’s many initiatives in support of the Beijing Platform for Action and emphasized AMWA’s commitment to fostering leadership among women in medicine to achieve those. “AMWA empowers women in medicine to lead, advocate, and transform healthcare. By championing equity, mentorship, and policy change, we ensure that women’s voices shape the future of medicine and global health.”

Dr. Nina Vincoff, Medical Director and Vice President for Clinical Initiative and Patient Experience at the Katz Institute for Women’s Health, Northwell Health, delivered the keynote presentation, Women’s Health: Making the Case and Leading the Way. She highlighted the critical importance of women’s health, emphasizing its impact on healthcare access, outcomes, science, innovation, and economics. Dr. Vincoff underscored the need to integrate biological differences into clinical care to improve health outcomes for women, particularly in neurologic diseases, lung cancer, and heart disease. She also stressed the importance of enhancing the patient experience, educating the next generation of physicians, and advancing women’s health research.

Maria-Luisa Chavez, (Former Chief, Education Outreach Section and Chief, Non-governmental Organizations Section, UN DPI), spoke of the Beijing Conference for Women, a landmark event that paved the way for gender equality initiatives worldwide. The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action is even more important now, in light of the unprecedented attacks faced by women today. Ms. Chavez stressed the importance of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) and the opportunities it presents for women’s voices to be heard on a global stage. “Our voice and our leadership is the answer. Us working together is the answer.”

Dr. Cathey Falvo (Vice President, North America, International Society of Doctors for the Environment) spoke about the intersection of environmental issues and women’s health, highlighting how climate change and environmental degradation disproportionately affect women. She underscored the necessity of women’s leadership in addressing these challenges, emphasizing that their impact extends beyond their immediate surroundings and into broader policy and community initiatives.

Dr. Rosy Thachil (Chair of AMWA’s Gender Equity Task Force), addressed the need for women to be supported in their pathways to leadership, through not just mentorship but sponsorship. She discussed the importance of allies, safe spaces, and structural changes that would ensure workplace equity.

Dr. Arino Yaguchi (Visitng Professor, Tokyo Medical University) spoke about the significant progress made in Japan since the Beijing Conference for Women, resulting in increased numbers of women in traditionally male-dominated professions. She also spoke about healthcare programs in Japan, a country with the longest life expectancy in the world.

Dr. Gloria Bachmann (Associate Dean for Women’s Health, Co-Director of the Women’s Health Institue, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson) emphasized the necessity of legislative advocacy to drive systemic change in women’s health. She shared her experience of establishing New Jersey’s Maternal Health Awareness Day in response to a tragic maternal death. The initiative stands as a testament to the power of collaboration between medical professionals, government leaders, and community advocates in improving maternal health outcomes.

Patty Fallon (Director, Education, Global Programs, Operation Smile) spoke about the Women in Medicine program which promotes the advancement of women by fostering leadership, mentorship, and training initiatives for women physicians. By championing equity in global surgery, Operation Smile not only improves patient outcomes but also helps break barriers for women in traditionally male-dominated medical fields.

In Dr. Gloria Bachmann words, “The panel clearly demonstrated that women, regardless of professional specialty, work as a team and complement each other in their commitment to achieving women’s equity.  She invoked Robert Frost’s famous words: “We still have miles to go before we sleep,” reinforcing that while women have advanced in many ways, much work remains. Organizations like AMWA and Operation Smile continue to play a crucial role in advocating for women’s health and well-being on a global scale.”

Maria-Luisa Chavez echoed this sentiment, stating, “You will agree that we have come a long way in 30 years in making progress in advancing gender equality, and we are not ready to go backwards.” She called upon attendees to “create awareness, take action, and be the voice” for change.

Dr. Padmini Murthy concluded with a powerful reminder: “Strategic and positive partnerships are more important than ever to achieve the SDG 2030 goal of ‘Leave No One Behind,’ which includes women and girls.”

Other AMWA related events include:

March 19, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm (co-sponsored with MWIA*) Women and Health: Beijing+30 – Achievements, Gaps, Challenges, Solutions – Church Center of the UN, 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY

March 20, 8:30 – 10:30 am Beijing at 30: Investing in Women to Build Access to Surgical Care – Church Center of the UN, 777 United Nations Plaza New York, NY

Additional MWIA* co-sponsored side events are:

March 17, 1:15 – 2:30 pm Education for Economic Empowerment: Afghan Women’s Pathway to Resilience – United Nations, CR1 (Those who register will be escorted into the UN at the time of the event.)

*All AMWA members are members of the Medical Women’s International Association

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