“At the current rate, gender equality in the highest positions of power will not be reached for another 130 years. We need more women CEOs, especially BIPOC women and women from low and middle-income countries”
Lisa M Hilmi, Executive Director at CORE Group
How does the work you do empower women and girls in low and middle-income countries around the world?
CORE Group always brings a gender-transformative approach to our programs and strategy. We contributed to the Gavi Gender Strategy, as well as the USAID-funded project Gender strategies. We believe in a feminist approach to leadership and want to ensure our team members also have the training and professional development to advance their careers, especially women from low and middle-income countries.
Caption: Lisa Hilmi with Patrick Mwesigye at the CORE Group Global Health Practitioner Conference held in Kenya, in 2019.
How can technology support the advancement of gender equality worldwide?
Technology can be an equalizer for women and girls, giving them access and opportunity that they may not have had. It can be a platform for learning opportunities, advocacy and more! We need more apps and women-led digital platforms for sure, to address specific needs that girls and women face at the country, global and regional levels.
How is CORE Group using technology to advance community health?
CORE Group has developed animations for immunization in several countries, and worked with NeedsList to create the COVID-19 Virtual Marketplace during the pandemic, as well as Red Recuperacion in Peru. We have held more than 5 virtual Summits during the pandemic with PMNCH, UNICEF, USAID, UHC2030, and technology partners Tech Change, to bring technical education to thousands across the world.
What more changes would you like to see in the journey towards gender equity globally?
We need more women leaders at the highest level- Presidents, Prime Ministers, and leading UN agencies and Alliances. As of September 2022, there are ONLY 28 countries where 30 women serve as Heads of State and/or Government. At the current rate, gender equality in the highest positions of power will not be reached for another 130 years. We need more women CEOs, especially BIPOC women and women from LMIC countries. They have the skills, experience and education and will make a difference in the global state of affairs, compared to the current trends, in power and decision-making.
What’s your favorite app or website, and how does it bridge the gender divide?
I love the OkyApp- https://okyapp.info/ developed by girls, for girls with the support of UNICEF’s Gerda Binder, Senior Advisor, Gender & Technology, UNICEF Digital Center of Excellence. Oky lets girls feel in control and more confident by tracking their periods, and getting the information that all girls should know. It is being scaled to additional countries and empowers girls to adapt the app to country-specific details. Check it out!