Author: Lizz Ntonjira, Communications & Engagement Director- WomenLiftHealth
Global health conferences serve as crucial platforms for the exchange ofknowledge, decision-making processes, and fostering personal andprofessional growth among participants. These conferences, occurring eitherannually or bi-annually, represent significant gatherings in variousspecialties. Notable events include the recent Conference of the Parties(COP) hosted by the government of Dubai, the annual United Nations GeneralAssembly (UNGA) in New York, USA, the bi-annual International AIDSConference, Women Deliver Conference held every two years, World HealthSummit, World Health Assembly, MNH Conferences, Vaccine Conference, amongothers.
Despite the anticipation for candid discussions, evidence presentations,research analyses, major commitments, and opportunities to enhance globalknowledge exchange, a crucial aspect often remains overlooked. The primaryfocus should be on those most affected by health crises, where gaps aremore apparent, and where the heart of the conversation should truly lie.Unfortunately, evidence has shown us that global health conferences aremostly held in the global north where the majority of the global healthinstitutions are headquartered , ironically with the goal of addressingcritical health gaps that are eminent in the global south. 85% of globalhealth institutions are headquartered in the global north. Of the 112global health conferences held between 1990 and 2019, 71% took place inhigh income countries, 26% in middle income countries and only 4% in low-income countries. And while I believe there is increased effort to ensurediversity and conference equity, this will entail more intention.While discussions at global conferences often revolve around the developingworld and its most marginalized populations, a stark reality persists,these conversations frequently occur without meaningful representation fromthe very communities under discussion. Conference inequity is a pervasiveissue in global health, marked by limited attendance from low and medium-income countries, primarily due to systemic barriers like exorbitant travelcosts and stringent visa restrictions. The COVID-19 pandemic onlyexacerbated these inequities, rendering the global travel landscape evenmore uneven and challenging for those already facing barriers toparticipation.
Representation is not only geographical, but there are also very fewspeaking opportunities allocated to community members from low- and medium-income countries during global health gatherings, and this limitsopportunities for active meaningful, and objective participation. Therefore, I propose that global health conferences should be moreinclusive, equitable, and responsive to the needs and realities of theglobal south, and especially the LMICs. This can be achieved by:
Increasing the number and frequency of global health conferences held in the global south, and ensuring that they are accessible, affordable, and culturally appropriate for the local
participants. Providing more funding and sponsorship opportunities for the global south participants, especially the young and emerging leaders, to attend the global health conferences held in the global north and facilitating their vi
sa and travel processes. Enhancing the diversity and representation of the global south participants in the planning, organizing, and delivering of the global health conferences, and ensuring that they have equal opportunities to speak, present, and network at the conferences. Promoting the dialogue and collaboration between the global and local health actors, and ensuring that the global health agenda is informed by and aligned with the local health needs and priorities, and that the local health actors are involved in the implementation and evaluation of the global health interventions and re
commendations. By doing so, I believe that global health conferences can become more effective and impactful platforms for advancing global health, and for achi
eving the vision of health for all.
It is on this premise that, The WomenLift Health Global Conference 2024 isbeing hosted in Dar salaam, Tanzania. As an organization, whose mission isto enhance the power and influence of women in global health and advise andmitigate on ways to close the gap in leadership in global health, it iscritical to ensure that the conversations on challenges barring women fromglobal health leadership take place in one of the continents where the gapon women’s leadership in global heath is wider and more apparent.Localizing conversations, enabling inclusivity in participation, giving thestage to those often unheard, is an additional step to achieving genderequality in global health.