Women comprise 70% of the health workforce yet hold only 25% of leadership roles, with cultural biases, limited mentorship, and caregiving responsibilities often restricting advancement.
The gender gap in leadership roles in global eye health translates into gaps in access to eye care, with 112 million more women than men living with vision loss, including blindness. Ultimately the goal of WLEH is to address this imbalance and strive for better access to eye care for both men and women.
WLEH uplifts female eye health professionals at every level, through transformational leadership, mentorship, and an empowered community, dismantling these barriers to create more inclusive, accessible eye care systems for all.
WLEH operates through three strategic workstreams:
- Professional development grants and thought leadership: To elevate the visibility and influence of female eye health professionals globally. WLEH supports women’s participation in key conferences and thought leadership platforms, enabling them to engage with critical networks, share expertise, and advocate for gender equality within eye health systems. Find out more about the WLEH Professional Development Grant here.
- Community building through coffee hours: To promote continuous professional development and community engagement, WLEH offers interactive coffee hours and webinars that foster connection and collaboration among women leaders in eye health.
- Volunteer faculty, training, and gender resources: WLEH focuses on developing a robust global mentorship network, leveraging a diverse volunteer faculty and facilitators pool to empower emerging women professionals in eye health through mentorship, training, and peer collaboration.
WLEH invites all eye health professionals, organizations, and stakeholders to join them in advancing these strategies and inspiring the next generation of women leaders in eye health, to build a brighter future for all.
