abstract: 'Purpose The purpose of this manuscript is to provide an overview of the

  significant role that women play in providing global health care,

  barriers encountered to achieving gender equality in global health

  leadership, and to propose key recommendations for advancing gender

  equality in global health decision-making through the integration of

  gender mainstreaming, gender-based analysis, and gender transformative

  leadership (GTL) approaches. Method Data were evaluated to determine the

  participation rate of women in global health care and social sector

  roles in comparison to men. Gender equality data from the United

  Nations, World Health Organization, Organization for Economic

  Co-operation and Development, International Labour Organization, and

  other resources were analyzed to assess the impact of the coronavirus

  disease 2019 pandemic on gender equality with an emphasis on women in

  global health leadership positions, the health care and social sector,

  and gender equality measures for girls and women throughout the world.

  The literature was examined to identify persistent barriers to gender

  equality in global health leadership positions. Additionally, a review

  of the literature was conducted to identify key strategies and

  recommendations for achieving gender equality in global health

  decision-making; integrating gender mainstreaming; conducting

  gender-based analysis; and adopting GTL programs, incentives, and

  policies to advance gender equality in global health organizations.

  Findings Women represent 70\% of the health and social care sector

  global workforce but only 25\% of senior global health leadership roles.

  Since 2018, there has been a lack of meaningful change in the gender

  equality policy arenas at global health organizations that has led to

  significant increases in women serving in global leadership

  decision-making senior positions. During the pandemic in 2020, there

  were nearly 100 open vacancies-one-quarter of CEO and board chair

  positions-at global health organizations, but none were filled by women.

  Women disproportionately provide caregiving and unpaid care work, and

  the pandemic has increased this burden with women spending 15 hours a

  week more on domestic labor than men. A lack of uniform, state-sponsored

  paid parental leave and support for childcare, eldercare, and

  caregiving, which is overwhelmingly assumed by women, serve as major

  barriers to gender parity in global health leadership and the career

  advancement of women. Conclusion The pandemic has adversely impacted

  women in global health care and social sector roles. During the

  pandemic, there has been a widening of the gender pay gap, a lack of

  gains for women in global health leadership positions, an increase in

  caregiving responsibilities for women, and more women and girls have

  been pushed back into extreme poverty than men and boys. Globally, there

  is still resistance to women serving in senior leadership roles, and

  social and cultural norms, gender stereotypes, and restrictions on

  women''s rights are deeply intertwined with barriers that reinforce

  gender inequality in global health leadership. To ensure comprehensive

  human rights and that equitable workforce opportunities are available,

  the concept of gender equality must be expanded within the global health

  community to consistently include not only women and girls and men and

  boys, but also persons who identify as nonbinary and gender

  nonconforming.

  Efforts to eliminate remnants of systemic and structural gender

  discrimination must also incorporate gender mainstreaming, gender-based

  analysis, and gender transformative approaches to achieve gender

  equality throughout global health systems and organizations.'
affiliation: 'Smith, SG (Corresponding Author), Amer Dent Educ Assoc, 655 K St NW,Suite
  800, Washington, DC 20001 USA.

  Smith, Sonya G.; Sinkford, Jeanne C., Amer Dent Educ Assoc, 655 K St NW,Suite 800,
  Washington, DC 20001 USA.

  Sinkford, Jeanne C., Howard Univ, Coll Dent, Washington, DC 20059 USA.'
author: Smith, Sonya G. and Sinkford, Jeanne C.
author-email: smithsg@adea.org
author_list:
- family: Smith
  given: Sonya G.
- family: Sinkford
  given: Jeanne C.
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1002/jdd.13059
eissn: 1930-7837
files: []
issn: 0022-0337
journal: JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION
keywords: 'COVID-19 and women; gender equality; gender equity; gender inequality;

  global health; gender mainstreaming; gender parity; gender

  transformative leadership; healthcare workforce; women global leaders;

  women in global health; women in the health professions; women and

  leadership'
keywords-plus: STEREOTYPE THREAT; MEN
language: English
month: SEP
number: '9'
number-of-cited-references: '146'
orcid-numbers: Smith, Sonya/0000-0001-8132-5496
pages: 1144-1173
papis_id: d41f32901bd785b948b627ede20c18de
ref: Smith2022genderequality
times-cited: '2'
title: 'Gender equality in the 21st century: Overcoming barriers to women''s leadership
  in global health'
type: article
unique-id: WOS:000859923100013
usage-count-last-180-days: '13'
usage-count-since-2013: '27'
volume: '86'
web-of-science-categories: Dentistry, Oral Surgery \& Medicine
year: '2022'