100 Outstanding Women Nurse and Midwife Leaders

During the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, amidst a global pandemic, the courageous work of nurses and midwives deserves, more than ever, to be honored—not just by applause. Let us use the stories of their everyday heroism and service to call for all countries to invest in decent work and a new social contract for nurses and midwives as part of their commitment to health for all.

Despite shortages of PPE, a lack of support and crippling uncertainty, these women represent millions more nurses and midwives on the frontlines of patient care, providing solutions, every day, to people around the globe.

Click below to read WGH’s Call to Action to (1) Enable Female Nurses and Midwives to Lead, (2) End Violence against Nurses and Midwives, (3) Include Nurses and Midwives in Decision-Making, (4) Pay Nurses and Midwives Fairly, (5) Support Diversity in Nursing and Midwifery

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Anandhi Subramani

(IND) India

Community Hero: Nurse

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Samira Benbarkat

(DZA) Algeria

Diversity: Midwife

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Rose Clarke Nanyonga, PhD

(UGA) Uganda

Board & Management: Nurse

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Prasansha Budha Lama

(NPL) Nepal

Community Hero: Midwife

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Franka Cadée, PhD

(NLD) Netherlands

Board & Management: Midwife

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Anne Kinuthia

(SSD) South Sudan

Young Nurse and Midwife Leader: MidwifeNurse

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Mechell Marshall

(BRB) Barbados

Community Hero: MidwifeNurse

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Address Malata

(MWI) Malawi

Innovation, Science & Health: MidwifeNurse

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Debrah Lewis

(TTO) Trinidad and Tobago

Board & Management: Midwife

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Gabriela Melendez

(GTM) Guatemala

Human Capital Development: MidwifeNurse

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Maggie Chirwa

(RWA) Rwanda

Young Nurse and Midwife Leader: MidwifeNurse

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Melissa Dogbe Dede

(TGO) Togo

Community Hero: Midwife

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Hilma Shikwambi, MSN

(NAM) Namibia

Human Capital Development: Midwife

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Dicko Fatoumata S Maiga, MA

(SEN) Senegal

Board & Management: Midwife

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Annette Kennedy

(IRE) Ireland

Board & Management: Midwife

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Sally Pairman, DMid MA, RM, RGON

(NZL) New Zealand

Board & Management: Midwife

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Platel Claudine

(HTI) Haiti

Primary Health Care: Nurse

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Tekla Shipahu Natangwe Shindi-Mbidi

(NAM) Namibia

Human Capital Development: MidwifeNurse

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Teja Skodic Zaksek, PhD

(SVN) Slovenia

Board & Management: Midwife

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Mary Ozuruonye Agholor

(NGA) Nigeria

Community Hero: Nurse

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Edidiong Asanga

(NGA) Nigeria

Community Hero: MidwifeNurse

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Yoko Shimpuku

(JPN) Japan

Community Hero: MidwifeNurse

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Albertha Freeman

(LBR) Liberia

Human Capital Development: Nurse

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Viola Mukami Karanja

(LBR) Liberia

Human Capital Development: MidwifeNurse

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Ivy Ahiney Tetteh

(GHA) Ghana

Community Hero: Nurse

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Etti Rosenberg

(ISR) Israel

Community Hero: Nurse

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Margareta Bruckner, MBA, MSc, DGKP

(AUT) Austria

Community Hero: Nurse

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Margret Seela

(UGA) Uganda

Human Capital Development: Midwife

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Norma Haydee Acosta Berrelleza, MA

(MEX) Mexico

Community Hero: Nurse

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Manju Dhandapani, MA MSc PhD

(IND) India

Community Hero: Nurse

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SookJa Kim

(KOR) South Korea

Primary Health Care: Nurse

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Betty Sam

(SLE) Sierra Leone

Board & Management: MidwifeNurse

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Caroline Homer, RM, MN, MMedSc (ClinEpi), PhD

(AUS) Australia

Board & Management: Midwife

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Viviane Mukakarara

(RWA) Rwanda

Board & Management: MidwifeNurse

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Catherine Holliday

(AUS) Australia

Community Hero: Nurse

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Anuli Isichei

(NGA) Nigeria

Board & Management: Nurse

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Rozina Karmaliani, PhD

(PAK) Pakistan

Board & Management: MidwifeNurse

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Ank de Jonge

(NLD) Netherlands

Innovation, Science & Health: MidwifeNurse

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Nailantei Kileku Elizabeth

(KEN) Kenya

Board & Management: MidwifeNurse

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Samina Vertejee

(PAK) Pakistan

Community Hero: Nurse

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Chepkirui Hildah Koech

(KEN) Kenya

Human Capital Development: MidwifeNurse

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Catherine Chacha Men’ganyi

(KEN) Kenya

Community Hero: Nurse

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Lynette Kosgei

(KEN) Kenya

Board & Management: Nurse

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Manila Prak

(KHM) Cambodia

Board & Management: Nurse

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Fredah Khavai Shibonje

(KEN) Kenya

Board & Management: Midwife

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Neelam Punjani

(CAN) Canada

Community Hero: Nurse

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Marcia Petrini

(USA) United States

Board & Management: Nurse

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Jennifer Dohrn

(USA) United States

Human Capital Development: MidwifeNurse

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Elizabeth Madigan

(USA) United States

Board & Management: Nurse

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Sarah Walji, RN

(CAN) Canada

Board & Management: Nurse

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Graciela Cadet, MBA

(HTI) Haiti

Board & Management: Nurse

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Cornety Nakiganda

(UGA) Uganda

Board & Management: Midwife

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Christine Otai

(UGA) Uganda

Board & Management: Midwife

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Liliana Bravo Sierra

(MEX) Mexico

Community Hero: Nurse

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Katherine Jenkins, RGN, PDTN

(GBR) United Kingdom

Community Hero: Nurse

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Barbara Viquez Saucedo

(MEX) Mexico

Human Capital Development: MidwifeNurse

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Maggie Shepherd, RGN PhD

(GBR) United Kingdom

Human Capital Development: Nurse

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Juana Jimenez Sanchez

(MEX) Mexico

Board & Management: Nurse

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Ran-Hee Seo

(KOR) South Korea

Human Capital Development: Midwife

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Dame Tina Lavender, PhD, MSc, RM, RGN

(GBR) United Kingdom

Board & Management: MidwifeNurse

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Saima Sachwani, RN, MScN

(PAK) Pakistan

Human Capital Development: MidwifeNurse

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Choi Younsuk

(KOR) South Korea

Board & Management: MidwifeNurse

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Emmanualla Inah

(NGA) Nigeria

Innovation, Science & Health: MidwifeNurse

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Wendy Yewande Olayiwola, MSc, BSc, BA, RN, RM

(GBR) United Kingdom

Community Hero: Midwife

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Debra Thoms, RN RM BA MNA Grad Cert Bioethics, Adv Dip Arts FACN (DLF) FACHSM (Hon) GIA(Cert)

(AUS) Australia

Board & Management: Nurse

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Frances Hughes, RN, Dnurs , FAAN, FACMHN, FNZCMHN CNZM

(NZL) New Zealand

Board & Management: Nurse

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Elizabeth Halcomb, PhD

(AUS) Australia

Primary Health Care: Nurse

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Rukumani Tripathi

(NPL) Nepal

Community Hero: MidwifeNurse

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Sushma Yonzon

(NPL) Nepal

Community Hero: Nurse

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Durga Sapkota

(NPL) Nepal

Primary Health Care: Nurse

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Yasmin Nadeem Parpio

(PAK) Pakistan

Community Hero: Nurse

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Marina Baig

(PAK) Pakistan

Innovation, Science & Health: MidwifeNurse

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Maria Teresa Moreno-Casbas, MSc PhD

(ESP) Spain

Human Capital Development: Nurse

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Azucena Santillan, RGN, PhD

(ESP) Spain

Human Capital Development: Nurse

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Aintzane Orkaizagirre Gómara, RN, PhD

(ESP) Spain

Board & Management: Nurse

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Isobel Potani, MSc

(MWI) Malawi

Community Hero: Nurse

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Margaret Loma Phiri, MSN, MED, RNM

(MWI) Malawi

Board & Management: MidwifeNurse

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Yahn Soaurchhorda

(KHM) Cambodia

Community Hero: Nurse

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Nura Aided Ibrahim

(SOM) Somaliland

Community Hero: Nurse

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Ani Khmaladze

(GEO) Georgia

Community Hero: Nurse

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Jessica Marian Goodman Casanova

(ESP) Spain

Community Hero: Nurse

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Carmen Ferrer-Arnedo, PhD

(ESP) Spain

Board & Management: Nurse

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Sadaf Saleem Murad, MN, RN, GNC

(CAN) Canada

Community Hero: Nurse

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Shela Hirani, RN, PhD, MScN

(CAN) Canada

Community Hero: Nurse

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Irmajean Bajnok, RN, MScN, PhD

(CAN) Canada

Board & Management: Nurse

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Nester Moyo, RM, MSc

(NLD) Netherlands

Board & Management: Midwife

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Delkontee King

(LBR) Liberia

Community Hero: MidwifeNurse

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Roa Altaweli

(SAU) Saudi Arabia

Community Hero: Midwife

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Kelly Ann Talbot, MSN, RN, CNS

(NZL) New Zealand

Community Hero: Nurse

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Veronica Regis

(NZL) New Zealand

Innovation, Science & Health: Nurse

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Henriette Eke Mbula

(COD) Democratic Republic of the Congo

Community Hero: Midwife

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Marufa Muradi

(AFG) Afghanistan

Community Hero: Nurse

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Shukria Musafirzada

(AFG) Afghanistan

Young Nurse and Midwife Leader: Midwife

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Bimla Kapoor

(IND) India

Innovation, Science & Health: Nurse

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Ella Skifte

(DNK) Denmark

Innovation, Science & Health: Midwife

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Zahra Mirzaei

(AFG) Afghanistan

Community Hero: Midwife

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Madu Onyinyechi Susan RN,RM,PGD,MEHM,FIMC,CMC

(NGA) Nigeria

Community Hero: Nurse

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Maria Jovita Pedro Miala

(NLD) Netherlands

Community Hero: Nurse

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Maibam Ranita Devi

(IND) India

Primary Health Care: MidwifeNurse

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Kaveri Mayra

(IND) India

Young Nurse and Midwife Leader: MidwifeNurse

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100

WHO Member States should each establish/reinstate a Chief Nursing/Midwifery Officer or equivalent to give strategic advice on all aspects of national health policy and programming.

Call to Action 1 of 5

Include Nurses and Midwives in Strategic Decision Making

Rose Clarke Nanyonga, PhD

(UGA) Uganda : Nurse

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Prasansha Budha Lama

(NPL) Nepal : Midwife

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Franka Cadée, PhD

(NLD) Netherlands : Midwife

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WHO Member States should close gendered leadership gaps in nursing and midwifery, to ensure men and women are represented equally in leadership.

Call to Action 2 of 5

Enable Female Nurses and Midwives to Lead

Anandhi Subramani

(IND) India : Nurse

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Samira Benbarkat

(DZA) Algeria : Midwife

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Rose Clarke Nanyonga, PhD

(UGA) Uganda : Nurse

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WHO Member States should ensure entrants to nursing and midwifery training programs reflect the social composition (by gender, ethnicity, race, class, religion etc.) of the population they serve.

Call to Action 3 of 5

Support Diversity in Nursing and Midwifery

Anandhi Subramani

(IND) India : Nurse

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Samira Benbarkat

(DZA) Algeria : Midwife

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Gabriela Melendez

(GTM) Guatemala : MidwifeNurse

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WHO Member States should ratify ILO Convention 190 on Violence and Harassment and enact measures to ensure all nurses and midwives have decent work free from all forms of violence, harassment, and bullying.

Call to Action 4 of 5

End Sexual Harassment, Violence and Bullying against Nurses and Midwives

Gabriela Melendez

(GTM) Guatemala : MidwifeNurse

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Teja Skodic Zaksek, PhD

(SVN) Slovenia : Midwife

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Albertha Freeman

(LBR) Liberia : Nurse

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WHO Member States should close the gender pay gap in nursing and midwifery by paying women fairly for their work and by increasing wage transparency.

Call to Action 5 of 5

Pay Nurses and Midwives Fairly

Frances Hughes, RN, Dnurs , FAAN, FACMHN, FNZCMHN CNZM

(NZL) New Zealand : Nurse

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Elizabeth Halcomb, PhD

(AUS) Australia : Nurse

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Heidi K Nakamura

(USA) United States : Nurse

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