Webinar focuses on global
health care for women

The third webinar in a 3-part series on global gender-based healthcare for women is planned for 6 p.m. Nov. 10 in the College of Health and Human Services Room 2010. The webinar will feature a panel presentation, "Hands On: Model Projects @Work In Africa (Gender-Based Health Care)."

The series was made available to campus by the World Affairs Council of Western Michigan in collaboration with WMU's College of Health and Human Services and the Diether H. Haenicke Institute for Global Education.

Series flier

Dates and topics are as follows:

Thursday, Oct. 1

“Health Care: It’s a Global Issue”
Dr. Thomas Novotny (M.D. M.P.H.) Associate Director for Global and Border Health, School of Public Health, San Diego State University

Dr. Novtny’s research currently focuses on tobacco control in developing countries, the interaction between tobacco use and infectious diseases, the environmental impact of discarded cigarette filters, and global health diplomacy. He consults regularly with the World Bank, the World Health Organization, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Tuesday, Oct. 13

“Evening Out the Playing Field: Gender Inequalities in Health Care Systems”
Dr. Mayra Buvinic, Senior Director, World Bank, Washington D.C.

Dr. Buvinic, a Chilean national, is an internationally respected expert on gender and social development. She is also the World Bank’s senior spokesperson on gender and development issues.

Tuesday, Nov. 10

“Hands On: Model Projects @Work In Africa (Gender-Based Health Care)”
Panel Moderator: Emma N. Andrews, PharmD, Pfizer, New York City

PANELISTS: Harshad Sanghvi, M.D., Vice President of Technical Leadership and Medical Director, Jhpiego, Baltimore; and Mr. Gannon Gillespie, Director of U.S. Operations, Tostan, Washington, D.C.

Many organizations address the specific health care needs of women in the developing world. Two such programs include: (1) JHPIEGO (pronounced ‘jha-pie-go’) is an international health organization affiliated with Johns Hopkins University. For 35 years, JHPIEGO has designed and implemented effective, low-cost, hands-on solutions to strengthen the delivery of health care services for women and their families; and (2) Tostan means ‘breakthrough’ in the West African language of Wolof. Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program is considered the ‘best practice’ by the World Health Organization, UNICEF, Population Control and others. Successes in 10 African communities include: abandoning female genital cutting, ending enforced child marriage, promoting grass-roots democracy and protecting maternal and child health. NOTE: For further information, check out these websites: www.jhpiego.org and www.tostan.org.

Overview of the project

WMU is an educational partner with the World Affairs Council of Western Michigan Through the Haenicke Institute for Global Education. The Haenicke Institute works actively with the council to co-sponsor lectures, teleconferences and other events related to critical foreign policy issues on campus and throughout the region

The council’s Global Gender-Based Health Care research and advocacy program aims to create awareness of the inequalities women face with health care and what the United States can do to help both nationally and globally.

The public awareness, research and advocacy program on Gender-Based Health Care for Women and its implications for the field of Global Health Diplomacy Worldwide will be conducted by the Global Women’s Issue Forum (GWIF) of the World Affairs Council of CT (WACCT), in partnership with six additional World Affairs Councils throughout the United States.

As a major part of this project, the WACCT is planning an introductory event in New York during the opening of 64th session of the United Nations General Assembly, which is often referred to as President’s Week.  This event will engage foreign leaders, mission staff and UN staff who will directly address the issue of women’s health during the 64th session of the UN General Assembly.  The council together with collaborating organizations, such as the United Nations Foundation, the Foreign Policy Association and the International Women’s Health Coalition, has invited a panel of world leaders to discuss their agenda in relation to the issue of Global Health Diplomacy with a specific emphasis on women for the upcoming United Nations session. This event is designed highlight the important issue that concerns woman all over the world. It is intended to be a premier event to kick off the intensive work the council will begin which will focus on the critical issue of Global Health Diplomacy and how it relates to women.

The series is free and open to campus on a first come, first served basis, as seating is limited. For more information, contact Margaret von Steinen at (269) 387-3993 or margaret.vonsteinen@wmich.edu.

World Affairs Council of Western Michigan