Within the medical assistance community, we naturally encounter both male and female travellers who are experiencing health problems  and who are vulnerable.

But how do we ensure that our female cohort are not at a disadvantage around the world when it comes to receiving healthcare, support and repatriation?

Our gender-diverse workforce at MedResQ allows us to be considerate when planning contact with clients , especially if the nature of the contact is very sensitive. We consider the social psychological and physical aspects of a case and ensure we are providing tailored support from a female member of the workforce when most appropriate, thus enhancing the care received by the client.

Further, we have a strong knowledge and understanding of worldwide health inequalities, social and religious practices and gender biases. With these in mind, we ensure that we advocate for our female clients to receive equal access to healthcare, assessments and treatments across the globe. Our highly experienced Case Managers can identify when equal recognition of our female clients may not be occurring and will act to ensure that they receive this; whether that requires movement to another facility, gaining a second opinion or ensuring comprehensive medical reports are written. When we come to repatriation of our clients to their home country, we have a team of both male and female escorts at our disposal and will take the gender of the escort into account based on the social,  psychological and physical aspects of the case, with the client’s wellbeing at the forefront.

At MedResQ we value the importance and benefit of a balanced workforce,  and we are appreciate the positive impact that our female and male colleagues have in delivering a quality serviceto our clients. We would have our team no other way!

However, we also acknowledge that despite progress in recent decades, women worldwide continue to face significant disparities in the workplace. As of 2025, the global gender gap in employment remains a pressing issue, with women experiencing unequal opportunities, lower pay, and limited access to social protections.

The Gap in Employment The gender gap in employment has remained stagnant at around 30% since 1990, with men’s employment at approximately 80% and women’s at 50% (1). For women aged 25-54, the employment rate in 2022 was 61.4% compared to 90.6% for men(1)

This gap widens further for mothers with young children, demonstrating a clear “motherhood penalty”(1).

Women are also disproportionately represented in informal and vulnerable employment sectors. Almost 60% of women’s employment globally is in the informal economy, rising to over 90% in low-income countries (2).

Closing the Gap

The World Economic Forum estimates that at the current rate of progress it will take until 2158 to reach full gender parity. The International Women’s Day community is therefore placing focus on ‘Accelerating Action’ for their worldwide campaign and celebrations of women in 2025. For this they highlight the importance of taking swift and decisive steps to achieve gender equality and give suggestions and examples of how we can each take steps in our daily lives as well as outlining how Impactful organisations and groups are employing an array of effective strategies, resources, and activity that help accelerate action in wide array of areas, from forging women’s economic empowerment to elevating women and girl’s participation and achievement in sport (5).

Women Improve the Workforce

Having more women in the workforce brings numerous benefits to organisations and the economy.  Research shows that companies with a higher percentage of women report increased job satisfaction, organisational dedication, and meaningful work, and less burnout across genders (3). Furthermore, teams with a greater gender-diversity are associated with higher sales and profits, and Fortune 500 companies with a higher percentage of women on their boards, demonstrate a better financial performance (5).

It is also suggested that effective communication skills employed by women, along with their intuition, and emotional intelligence can contribute to improved collaboration in the workplace (5). Additionally, having more women in leadership positions is suggested to be linked to more supportive management styles and increased employee engagement.

Conclusion

Despite some progress, women worldwide continue to face substantial barriers to equal participation in the workforce. Addressing these disparities requires comprehensive policies that tackle both supply and demand issues in the labour market, supporting women’s entry and retention in the workforce. As we move forward, closing the gender gap in employment remains crucial for achieving global economic growth and social equity.

References