Celebrating Women around the World
Geneva, 8 March | On the occasion of International Women’s Day celebrated today, the Alliance joins international partners, agencies and individuals in highlighting the key role women play in today’s society, and the importance of safeguarding women’s interests and rights for the benefits of all. As mentioned by UN Women’s chief Michelle Bachelet “The world can no longer afford the costs of violence against women and girls, the social and economic costs and the costs in deep human pain and suffering.”
From a health workforce perspective, women are the cornerstone of health service delivery in many circumstances: they are midwifes who ensure mothers give healthy births, they are nurses taking care of patients most of the time, they are community health workers delivering care, medicine or support to rural and remote communities.
The Alliance takes this opportunity once again to strongly condemn the cowardly attacks and killing of polio workers in Pakistan and Nigeria and reminds everyone that women are to be empowered and protected in order to be able to fulfil their lives with dignity, regardless of their country of origin, their socio-economic background, or their faith.