Events around International Womens' Day 2010: WHO Headquarters, Regional and Country Offices
At the World Health Organization, Geneva
Workshop on "Leadership strategies for women in WHO"
Closed meeting for female staff of the Stop TB Department and Partnership
Recruitment and retention of women, particularly at higher levels within WHO, is one of the important ways to mainstream gender throughout the Organization. This workshop will share information on where WHO is in terms of sex parity of staffing, and how gender norms and roles within organizations can sabotage women's success in the workplace. There will be practical tips on how to adopt authentic, assertive language, managing perception and getting noticed for achievements.
WHO Headquarters, 8 March, 11:45 to 12:30, HTM65
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Lunchtime seminar on "How is WHO doing in terms of gender mainstreaming?"
Open to all WHO staff
The WHO Department of Gender, Women and Health will share the main results of the Baseline Assessment Report of the WHO Gender Strategy. Staff will have an opportunity to discuss how to integrate gender into their programmes and activities.
WHO Headquarters, 12 March, 12:30 to 13:45, Salle B
Activities in WHO Regional and Country Offices
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WHO Regional Office for the Americas (AMRO)/Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)
PAHO will be celebrating International Women’s Day 2010 on March 12 focusing on “Gender equality in health: a right for adolescents.” OAS ambassadors, PAHO staff, partners of other United Nations and civil society organizations will join this important celebration. Dr Mirta Roses, Director, PAHO, will introduce and award the three Best Practices that incorporate a gender equality perspective in health of adolescents and youth, selected from over 71 submissions to a regional contest. Every winning experience will receive funds to systematize the best practices and lessons learned from their experience. PAHO will give support during this process and will include the publication in its database of best practices. -
WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO)
"We can all agree that women and girls are entitled to equal rights and equal opportunities to promote and protect their health. This includes the right to education. The high levels of illiteracy that persist in some parts of the Region not only hamper women’s health and development but health and development as a whole," said Dr Hussein A. Gezairy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean. "WHO is working with Member States and United Nations partners to ensure that those rights to health are attained. Today we celebrate progress towards those goals, and reaffirm WHO’s commitment to their full achievement. Fellow colleagues and staff members, please join me in celebrating International Woman’s Day, and thanking our mothers, wives, grandmothers, daughters, sisters and female friends for all the meaning they bring to our lives." - WHO Regional Office for the Europe (EURO)
Russia
Under the auspices of the United Nations Office in Russia, the United Nations Information Centre in Russia is organizing a thematic soirée to emphasize the importance of public involvement, as well as the need for legislators, lawyers and politicians at all levels, to make full use of international standards and best practices to enhance equal rights and equal opportunities. The programme will also include the opening of an exhibition of paintings by young and talented artists Dmitri and Peter Zudovs as well as a musical performance by singers of the "Russian opera" theatre.
Turkmenistan
The WHO Office in Turkmenistan in collaboration with the Ministry of Health is planning to host a discussion panel on "Women and health: how far have we come since Beijing?" to review progress, achievements, challenges, gaps, lessons learnt and good practices in the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action from health sector workers' perspectives.
The draft agenda includes: 1. Ensuring equal rights and equal opportunities for women: 15 years after Beijng (tbd); 2. Social determinants of women's health; 3. Making health systems work better for women (WHO); 4. Women's health in Turkmenistan and preparation of a national report to CEDAW by the Ministry of Health.
Participants include members of the National Working Group on strategic planning and of the National Working Group on Child and Adolescent Strategy development.
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WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific (WPRO)
The World Health Organization's Regional Office for the Western Pacific today labeled as "shameful" the fact that 90% of maternal deaths in the Western Pacific Region could be avoided if women's right to good health would be properly met. WHO said that more than 100 women in the Region die from pregnancy-related deaths each day and, unless drastic measures are taken, the number of tragedies of this kind will continue to rise. "It is shameful that despite the Region's rapid economic growth, a large—and growing—number of women are still excluded from the fruits of this progress," said Dr Shin Young-soo, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific. "Good health is a universal right, not a privilege. Taking on this issue will be at the top of our agenda in the Western Pacific."