The Women in Global Health movement deplores the attack on Al Ahli Arab Hospital in the north of the Gaza Strip, which has led to horrific loss of life, with hundreds of fatalities and injuries. This was an operational hospital where health workers were treating patients. It also served as a shelter for internally displaced people. As women working in health all over the world, we stand in solidarity with women on the frontline, dealing with the devastating outcomes of escalating conflict. We are alarmed by the plight of civilians forced to flee from their homes and call for the immediate establishment of safe zones for them across Gaza. We are reminded that conflict is not gender-blind, and that women and girls shoulder a particularly heavy burden. Women are the majority of health workers, as well as the main carers of their families, playing essential roles in their communities. There are up to 50,000 pregnant women affected currently in Gaza, 5,000 of whom are due to give birth, who cannot access appropriate health care and cannot be guaranteed safe delivery. Women have lost access to essential sexual and reproductive health care, including daily menstrual hygiene needs. The forced mass displacement of people, the lack of sanitation and safe drinking water and health care facilities that are no longer able to deliver care, are driving massively increased risks of outbreaks of infectious disease. We urgently call for an immediate stop to the attacks on health facilities and immediate active protection of civilians and health care. Essential life saving services must be reinstated so that healthcare workers have safety to carry out their life-saving work. This includes medicines, medical supplies, food, safe drinking water, fuel and electricity.  Humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach those in need. International humanitarian law must be abided by, which means health care must be actively protected and never targeted. womeningh.org/statement-al-a…

We have never meant it more than now: We are the FAST-GROWING women-led movement challenging power and privilege for gender equity in health! 🌍🩺 Today we welcomed our 51st Chapter, #WGHRwanda, in a room full of gender champions at the #WD2023 conference in #Kigali! 🇷🇼