IWD 2024: Count Her In: Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress

Dear RACMA Members, 

“Count Her In: Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress” is the theme set by the UN for today, International Women’s Day, but it’s also a motto by which we should live every day of the year. Women’s economic empowerment is essential if we hope to create a world where gender equality is not just a goal but a reality.  

RACMA, steadfast in its commitment to excellence in healthcare leadership, recognises the undeniable impact of investing in women. Our dedication is mirrored in our ongoing initiatives, such as our partnership with Australian Advancing Women in Healthcare Leadership (AWHL), who provide a growing list of resources to our community. These efforts underscore our belief that financial security and leadership equity are foundational to the health and wellbeing not just of women, but of society as a whole. 

As we reflect on our journey, we take pride in the strides we’ve made towards gender equity within our organisation and beyond. Our Board, with 58% female representation, and the leadership across our committees underscore the vital contributions women make to healthcare leadership. Yet, we acknowledge that the path to full economic inclusion for women and girls is fraught with challenges. 

This International Women’s Day, RACMA reaffirms its commitment to: 

• Invest in female leaders: Demonstrating unwavering support for gender equity through leadership roles and empowering a new generation of leaders through networking and mentoring.  
• Make data-driven decisions: Contributing to trusted national frameworks like AWHL that spotlight women in leadership, fostering an environment where progress can be measured and accelerated. 
• Take system-wide action: Promoting education on merit, rather than on bias and privilege, implementing strategies to address the gender pay gap, and supporting career development at every stage. 
• Engage in collaboration and advocacy: Working alongside partners to advocate for policy reforms that pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable healthcare system. 

Please take a moment to read these thoughtful words from RACMA members on why investing in women is integral to creating a healthier and more equitable society:  

• “Women bring diverse perspectives and experiences to leadership positions in healthcare, which can lead to more collaborative, inclusive and innovative approaches and encourage the next generation of women to take up leadership positions.” – Lloyd McCann, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee Co-Chair 
• “Women in medical leadership set the stage for inclusivity, gender equity and greater empathy and collaboration in healthcare delivery and further economic and social progress for all.” – Ajitha Nair, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee Co-Chair 
• “Female medical leaders bring an empathetic approach to leading. They motivate their teams to work towards a common vision of an equitable healthcare system where the needs of each individual are met with compassion and kindness.” – Nisha Khot, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee Member 
• “Investing in female medical leaders has been shown to improve the performance of health organisations from a patient-focused perspective.” – Helen Mcardle, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee Member 

• “Gender inequity is pervasive in healthcare.  It affects patients, families and healthcare workers.  It leads to worse outcomes and wasted resources.  Investing in women to lead, and fully contribute their ideas and vision gives us a chance of re-imagining healthcare -  to do it differently, to do better, and create a world where everyone can flourish.” – JillAnn Farmer, CEO, A Better Culture  

Together, we can create an environment where every woman and girl is counted in, setting the stage for accelerated progress towards a gender-equal world.  Let’s invest in women, celebrate our achievements, and continue to lead the charge for a more inclusive, equitable healthcare landscape. 

Kind regards, 

Dr Helen Parsons CSC  

RACMA President