Strengthening Leadership Skills for Female Health Cluster Coordinators

With the goal of reducing gender imbalance in the workforce, the Capacity Development Consulting Group, one of the Global Health Cluster Task Teams, recently organized the Health Cluster Coordinator Training: focus on Women in Coordination and Leadership. The training was held with the support of the Center for International Peace Operations (ZIF) from October 17-21, 2022 in Berlin, Germany  

The objective of the training was to provide participants with the skills needed to work as Health Cluster Coordinators and other leadership positions to coordinate the planning, implementation and monitoring of effective, efficient, timely and predictable evidence-based humanitarian health interventions in acute and protracted emergencies.

"The simulations and real-life case studies and practicing the various assessment tools gave me a better understanding of how I can develop my career in Health Cluster Coordination Leadership", said one of the participants after successfully completing the training.  

Training attendees discuss a SIMEX exercise

Photo Credits: Global Health Cluster, October 2022

The training program consisted of a one-day workshop followed by 2.5 days of SIMEX (simulation exercises) training where participants learned topics such as; initial establishment of a national health cluster, needs assessment and analysis, resource mobilization, implementation and monitoring activities, preventing and responding to sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (PRSEAH), and other important topics necessary to enhance health cluster leadership with technical expertise combined with judgment and foresight.  

Other training topics included a two-part Women in Coordination Leadership Clinic led by Dr. Gaya Gamhewage, Director of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment Prevention and Response at WHO. This session allowed participants to reflect on different leadership styles and models and a reminder of the importance of consciously developing leadership skills  

The opportunity for face-to-face training, which brought together a diverse group of participants and facilitators, allowed for rich discussions and sharing of experiences throughout the training timespan. From the initial group discussion to the final session, the energy and enthusiasm of the participants to apply what they learned to their respective areas of work was evident. 

The training attendance consisted of 23 female participants from NGO partners, health emergency officers from all 6 regions of WHO and headquarters. The training team consisted of health cluster and training experts from Ethiopia, Somalia, WHO South-East Regional Office, WHE Learning and Capacity Team and the Global Health Cluster Unit.