Attendance an online digital event on May. 30, 2024 entitled “Reducing Inequities in the Health and Pharmacy Workforce: The Importance of Maternity and Parental Leave Policies”. The event was offered by International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). 

Description: Mothers and pregnant women oftentimes face bias by being seen as liabilities or inconveniences by their employers. Their capability to conduct quality work is also assumed to be compromised because of their motherhood or pregnancy responsibilities. Workplace policies and insufficient support exacerbate these obstacles, containing the lack of flexible work arrangements and enough conditions like maternity leave. 

These inequities influence women across various sections; however, they are especially obvious within the pharmacy workforce and health since women exemplify more than 70% of the workforce in the social and health sections. 

To identify these inequities and issues, it is pivotal to challenge and remove the gender stereotypes and biases that extend discrimination against mothers and pregnant women. EquityRx and FIPWiSE (Women in Science and Education) offered a digital meeting to underline and identify some of these obstacles, especially those linked to maternity leave policies.