The Hague • 5 October 2021
A toolkit to improve practice environments for women in pharmaceutical science and pharmacy education is released by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) today. The toolkit was developed by the FIPWiSE (FIP Women in Science and Education) Enabling Workplaces Working Group and builds on the federation’s collaborative work with the World Health Professions Alliance (WHPA) to ensure positive practice environments (PPEs) for healthcare professionals.
Based on the WHPA’s PPE campaign, literature, and experiences of women pharmaceutical scientists and educators, the toolkit raises awareness of areas that require attention. These have been categorised into five key domains:
• Equal incentives for equal work;
• Work-life balance;
• Creating supportive and safe working environments;
• Opportunities for professional development, recognition and empowerment; and
• Women in leadership.
The toolkit presents possible solutions that can be implemented by professionals, employers and policymakers to generate and maintain supportive working environments, accompanied by case studies. It contains materials that can be used to raise awareness on PPEs for women in science and education and includes interviews on PPEs with Dr Roopa Dhatt, executive director, Women in Global Health, and Mr Howard Catton, 2021 chair, WHPA, and CEO of the International Council of Nurses.
Although women comprise the majority of the health and care workforce, they are underrepresented in the science, technology and education workforce. In addition, when it comes to career progression, there are significant differences between genders in these fields. For example, there is evidence that women have fewer papers published, the toolkit notes.
“We see women making an extraordinary contribution to global health, but not yet being rewarded equally with men in pay, leadership or career progression. By creating and maintaining positive practice environments we can help women to achieve their full potential in all sectors, including in education and science. The FIPWiSE toolkit focuses on education and science workplaces, but learnings can be expanded across the entire pharmaceutical workforce. When an environment is supportive, enabling and collaborative, we can all thrive,” said FIP CEO Dr Catherine Duggan.
Notes for editors
Links The FIPWiSE toolkit for positive practice environments for women in science and education is available here.
More information on the World Health Professions Alliance campaign on PPEs here.
Interviews Dr Duggan is available to provide further comment and interviews.
About FIP The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) is the global federation of national associations of pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists, and is in official relations with the World Health Organization. Through our 147 member organisations, we represent over four million practitioners and scientists around the world. Our vision is a world where everyone benefits from access to safe, effective, quality and affordable medicines and pharmaceutical care. www.fip.org
About FIPWiSE As a part of FIP’s EquityRx programme, which drives FIP Development Goal 10 (Equity and equality), FIP launched its FIPWiSE initiative in 2020 to help women reach their fullest potential in fields of pharmaceutical science and education and to attract young women into these fields.
PRESS CONTACT
Lin-Nam Wang
Head of Corporate Communications & Advocacy
Email linnam@fip.org
Tel +31 70 302 1979