Donne in Salute Globale is a women-led grassroot network of women and allies which aims to challenge power and privilege for gender equity in global health. We are researchers, doctors, public health professionals, health policy-makers, community healthcare workers, students, and private sector healthcare workers. While our primary focus is on Italy, our movement embraces a global perspective.
In 2021, the Department for Equal Opportunities of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of Italy published a 5-year National Strategy for Gender Equality, aiming for equal opportunities and dignity. Despite some progress, in 2023 Italy ranked 13th in gender equality among European countries. Challenges include a gender gap in labor force participation, occupational segregation, and part-time employment. Parenthood negatively impacts women’s employment opportunities. Social and cultural gender stereotypes further reinforce the view of women as subordinate to men. Italy has a higher percentage of female graduates (58.7%) compared to men. However, women are underrepresented in leadership positions, especially in STEM fields. For example, in medicine, women make up 49.9% of the workforce, yet only about 8% serve in a leadership position. From a wider global health perspective, the lack of diversity has resulted in the systematic absence of diverse voices and opinions within decision-making bodies, academic institutions, and organizations in the global health sector.
About us:
Donne in Salute Globale was founded in December 2023 by a diverse and multidisciplinary group of 11 women passionate about and working in global health. Our expertise covers a wide range of specialties, including general medicine, infectious and non-communicable diseases, antimicrobial resistance, public and global health, gender-based violence, conflicts and migration. Our members are involved in academia, activism, healthcare, international governmental and non-governmental organizations, among other sectors.
Our objectives
Our fast-growing movement aims to:
- Identify key barriers to women’s leadership in global health in Italy;
- Partner with existing feminist and global health organizations in Italy to create synergies for transformative change;
- Offer capacity-strengthening opportunities to young global health researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, through peer learning and mentorship;
- Promote awareness and conduct advocacy to promote equitable and inclusive leadership models within health institutions;
- Advance global health knowledge through leveraging the extensive experience of Italian professionals in specific domains relevant to global health, including infectious diseases, maternal and child care, and promoting universal health coverage including migrants, refugees and marginalized groups vulnerable to expected climate changes.
Our work
As Donne in Salute Globale we:
- Mobilize and connect networks of global health professionals across the world;
- Advocate for gender transformative policies and practices;
- Secure commitments from global health leaders at all levels to improve policies and practices;
- Hold leaders accountable by tracking and reporting on progress regarding gender equality;
- Thought leadership focused on generating evidence through research and data analysis to inform and guide gender equality initiatives and policies.
Our focus
Donne in Salute Globale focuses on four key advocacy areas:
- Promoting gender-equal leadership in global health, aiming for gender parity and fostering Gender Transformative Leadership;
- Ensuring gender equity in the health and care workforce by achieving equal representation of women in leadership and decision-making positions, ensuring fair pay, eliminating unpaid work in health systems, protecting women health workers from sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment, and safeguarding their well-being with effective personal protective equipment, vaccines, and mental health support;
- Developing gender-responsive health systems to achieve Universal Health Coverage and enhance pandemic preparedness and response;
- Strengthening the global movements and alliances for women’s leadership and gender equality in global health.
Our team
Our core team is composed by:
- Francesca Chiara, Consultant in antimicrobial resistance, Chair of The AMR Narrative
- Benedetta Armocida, Senior Researcher at the Department of Cardiovascular, Endocrine-metabolic Diseases and Aging of the Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), and Co-founder of Salute Globale.it
- Aurora Hirvonen, Final Year Master student in Global Health and Crisis Management
- Valeria Gigante, Team Lead at the World Health Organization in the Antimicrobial Resistance Division
- Monica Trentin, PhD Student at CRIMEDIM – Center for Research and Training in Disaster Medicine, Humanitarian Aid and Global Health (Università del Piemonte Orientale)
- Claudia Truppa, Humanitarian health specialist, International Committee of the Red Cross, and PhD candidate at CRIMEDIM – Center for Research and Training in Disaster Medicine, Humanitarian Aid and Global Health (Università del Piemonte Orientale)
- Barbara Hugonin Rao, Pediatrician / Neonatologist Resident University of Florence
- Maria Angela Losi, Associate Professor at the University Federico II of Naples
- Gabriela Azevedo Sansoni, Final Year Medical Student at University of Milan
- Amanda Paes Barreto Alves, Final Year Medical Student at University of Milan
- Sakshi Keswani, 5th year Medical Student at University of Milan
Decisional processes
Donne in Salute Globale, is built and governed according to an inclusive leadership model where power and decision-making are equally distributed to individuals participating in the core groups, depending on expertise and interests. Decisions are not taken singularly by individuals but as part of a process that encourages dialogue among our core members.
Donne in Salute Globale & MACH
Donne in Salute Globale is hosted and supported by the Centre for Multidisciplinary Research in Health Science (MACH) based in Milan. This decision is grounded in MACH’s reputation as a premier institution driving innovative research in global health. Furthermore, MACH’s vision closely mirrors our dedication to fostering transformative and gender-inclusive leadership in the global health sphere.
Among its activities, MACH will support the advocacy efforts of Donne in Salute Globale for evidence-based and gender-sensitive, and inclusive health policies. It will encourage the adhesion of its student and workforce to the initiatives of our movement to promote gender transformative leadership in global health as well as co-create and implement advocacy campaigns or events in the area of gender equity in healthcare or other areas of interest. Together, MACH and Donne in Salute Globale will conduct research and workshops addressing gender equity issues in the Italian local context and develop programs to achieve gender equity in healthcare.
Join us
We are excited to welcome new members to help us achieve our movement’s objectives. We encourage people of all genders, ethnicities, ages, career levels, and sectors to join us. If you are an Italian national or resident, work in an Italian-based organization with a focus in global health, or are familiar with Italian territory and want to support our movement, we would love to hear from you!
Every expertise is welcome! Whether you can assist with scientific research, advocacy efforts, communication strategies, or any other skills you possess, your contributions are valued and appreciated!
While everyone can organize their work according to their commitments, we emphasize active participation from all members to achieve our goals!
If you wish to join us, please fill out this brief questionnaire to submit your application. Upon reviewing your application, we will contact you for a short introductory interview. If you have any question, please do not hesitate to contact us at donneinsaluteglobale@gmail.com
We look forward to welcoming you to our enthusiastic community!