Role of Women in Polio Eradication

This is a recording of the special World Polio Day online event on the ‘Role of Women in Polio Eradication’ hosted by UNICEF on 25 October 2021.

Moderated by Dr. Geeta Rao Gupta, Senior Fellow at United Nations Foundation and former UNICEF Deputy Director, the 60-minute event showcases the work, lives and voices of women around the world directly involved or supporting polio eradication. It includes remarks from the UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore and US Centres for Disease Control Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky.

The event includes a virtual trip around the world to hear from women involved in different roles in the polio eradication effort followed by a live panel discussion between polio and gender experts including Dr. Anita Zaidi (President of Gender Equality Division, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), Dr. Tunji Funsho (Chair of Rotary International’s polio-eradication program in Nigeria), Dr. Rahila Umer (Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences, Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS) Quetta, Pakistan), Dr. Sahar Hegazi (Sr. Communication for Development Specialist UNICEF South Asia Region supporting wild polio endemic countries).

Watch the video in French