Celebrating Women Entrepreneurs and Innovators

International Women’s Day takes place against a backdrop of inequity and bias for many around the world. This makes raising the voices of the women who are forging a sustainable and equitable future for their communities more important than ever.

I work with a group of committed and brilliant women from diverse cultures and backgrounds who inspire me on a daily basis. I also have the great privilege of learning from women leaders in oncology working across the spectrum of cancer care in C/Can cities. Most often these extraordinary women manage to carve out time outside their ‘day jobs’ as nurses, health administrators, surgeons, oncologists, palliative care specialists, pathologists, and leaders of civil society organisations working for people living with cancer, and many other professions. These women are at the forefront of cancer care in their communities - they are the pulse of their cities. They share crucial knowledge and insights on patient access, management and the quality of cancer diagnostic, treatment and care services. They are active participants and decision-makers in prioritising needs, planning action and allocating resources. In short, they drive positive social change in their communities through entrepreneurship and innovation.

To further support their powerful advocacy and activism, C/Can is prioritising capacity development opportunities for women, and this week is launching with the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) a Leadership Programme for Women in Oncology. As a year-long programme for women working in C/Can cities, our ambition is for this initiative to become a flagship programme that is shaped by women for women. For C/Can, it is a part of our organisation's commitment to advancing gender equity. But we recognise that it cannot stand in isolation. A recent report from the Global Health 50/50 initiative states that, “Gender inequality is not inevitable; it is made by people and reinforced in systems and organisations, including global health. And it can be unmade within those same systems.” (1)

As a woman in a leadership position, I know this to be accurate. So, this March 8, as well as celebrating these women’s achievements, let’s reflect on how their unwavering commitment to access to cancer care can be valued through aligning all of our efforts, and be proactive in reinforcing gender equity through our programmes and policies. Because without concerted efforts, we will not only compromise our collective ability to meet Sustainable Development Goal 5 for gender equality, but all SDGs.

(1) Global Health 50/50. Gender equality: flying blind in a time of crisis. 2021. https://globalhealth5050.org/wp-content/uploads/Global-Health-5050-2021-Report.pdf?v2