I am honoured to be taking up the presidency of the MWF. Thank you, the membership, for having voted for me, and thank you, Etta, Dr Henrietta Bowden-Jones, for having carried the MWF baton so magnificently for the last two years.I will be working with a talented executive and a wonderful office team, and there is a lot to do. The MWF is 103 years old, yet striking gender disparities remain, in pay, career progression and recognition. These factors alone justify the need for the MWF, but there are also other personal, professional, and societal challenges for women. Meanwhile, the COVID 19 pandemic has brought the fragility of our health services into stark focus.
I want the MWF to be a strong advocate for progressive policies that empower women while recognising we are not all the same and that gender-based stereotypes are unhelpful. I also wish MWF make contributions to the larger, wider health issues of our time. For this reason you will see our strapline is now “the voice of medical women on medical issues”, not “the voice of medical women on women’s issues”.
I pledge to do my utmost for the MWF. And I want to do this with your help and support. So please do your best to increase our membership, because the larger we are, the louder our voice and the more chance we have of making a difference. If you feel there is an issue we should be aware of, please contact me or one of the officers directly and if you feel you would like to get more closely involved, do put yourself forward for one of our representative roles as they become available - we would love to have you on board!
For now, stay safe, look after yourself, and look after each other.
