ICN celebrates International Women’s Day

The International Council of Nurses (ICN) supports this year’s International Women’s Day campaign and calls on nurses everywhere to take on this year’s theme, which is to choose to challenge gender bias and inequality wherever they witness it.

ICN President Annette Kennedy said nursing is a prime example of a profession where women are in the majority, and that it shows in nurses’ ability to get things done.

“The global nursing workforce is 90% female, and that shows in our ability to do an incredibly stressful and demanding job, and to get the job done. This has been especially true during the pandemic, when nurses have gone beyond the call of duty, even when it put them at serious personal risk.

‘But being a majority female profession also shows in the lack of power that nurses often have to influence important policy decisions that are at the heart of successful healthcare services to ensure that they meet the needs of families everywhere.

‘Giving nurses a more powerful voice in decision making will help to transform healthcare services in the post-COVID era and make them more responsive to the needs of patients, their families and their communities. This International Women’s Day, with its #ChoosetoChallenge theme, should serve to remind people of the importance of speaking out for women and gender equality, especially in health services which have proved their worth over this past year. Gender equality is good for women and men, and empowering women benefits us all. And speaking out on this subject is an important step on the way to achieving real gender equality for all.”

Download the communique here