Event Recap: Gender Justice in Global Health — What It Means for Australia and the Region

Women in Global Health Australia was proud to host our 27 November webinar, Gender Justice in Global Health: What it Means for Australia and the Region, bringing together leading voices to unpack how Australia can drive meaningful, gender-transformative change across health systems. Professor Fran Baum AO set the stage as our keynote speaker, with a powerful reflection on structural inequities embedded within health leadership, policy, and systems design. Drawing from decades of scholarship on social and commercial determinants of health, she highlighted how gender inequality is reproduced through governance processes, workforce hierarchies, and persistent gaps in gender-disaggregated data, calling for stronger political commitment and accountability to advance gender justice.

We were also inspired by the insights of our panel discussion, moderated by our Chair, A/Prof Meru Sheel. Heather Keighley, Chief Remote Area Nurse at CRANAplus and Chair of the National Rural Health Alliance, brought a grounded perspective from remote and First Nations health contexts. Heather discussed the realities faced by rural and remote health workers, particularly women, who navigate under-resourcing, workforce shortages, and structural barriers in delivering culturally safe care. Her reflections underscored how gender, geography, and workforce inequities intersect, shaping not only service delivery but also leadership pathways for women in the sector. Dr Adele Murdolo, Executive Director of the Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health, centred the conversation on intersectionality and the lived experiences of migrant and refugee women. Adele highlighted how gendered health inequities cannot be understood, or solved, without addressing racism, migration status, cultural safety, and the structural determinants shaping access to care. She underscored the urgency of meaningful inclusion of migrant communities in policy-making, research, data systems, and leadership, reminding us that gender justice must reflect the diversity of Australian women’s experiences rather than a single narrative.

Together, our speakers emphasised that achieving gender justice requires both systemic reform and community-rooted leadership. They challenged us to reimagine the role of women in shaping policy, data systems, and decision-making; to recognise gender inequality as a health equity issue; and to mobilise collaborative action across academia, government, and communities. The event closed with an energising call to continue building momentum, amplifying women’s leadership, strengthening alliances, and advocating for a more just, inclusive, and equitable health future for Australia and the region.

Missed our event, catch it up via our video via this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ci-NpmiYygXLkoL4FBRN5zw5VXMNxUZh/view?usp=sharing