In a recent announcement, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) has affirmed that two eminent women leaders will be headlining the 2021 ICN Congress virtual meet scheduled to take place from 2nd to 4th November this year. The ICN is a body of international repute that has aided nurses and front-line workers all over the world in their struggles to improve working conditions, financial security, and a working environment suited for women in public health. The addition of HRH Princess Muna al-Hussein and the former New Zealand Prime Minister, Helen Clark into the blend of ICN will further broaden the scope of opportunities granted to nurses globally.
Clark had served as the Prime Minister of New Zealand for no short of three consecutive terms spanning 1999 to 2008. A woman with credentials as exemplary as hers, along with a record of policymaking, advocacy, and development, has been deemed to be suited for the goals undertaken by the ICN to carry the betterment of nurses forward. A former stalwart in the still ongoing battle of combatting climate change, Clark has advanced and promoted quite a few programmes on sustainable development. She was the first woman to head the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) during her stint as an administrator from 2009 to 2017.
Former Prime Minister, Helen Clark was further endowed with the additional responsibility of acting as a Chair of the esteemed United Nations Development Group that handles funds, departments, programmes, and agencies dealing with developmental concerns. A staunch promoter of gender equality and political harmony, Clark was appointed as a Co-Chair of the highly honorable Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response by the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) in July 2020.
The second prominent woman leader who will be headlining the 2021 Congress meet is Princess Muna al-Hussein of Jordan, a WHO patron in the eastern Mediterranean region in the niche of Nursing and Midwifery. Additionally, she is the former Commissioner of the UN High-Level Commission dealing with health employment as well as economic growth for the esteemed Nursing Now campaign. She has facilitated the medical welfare of Jordan as well as internationally by focusing on certain aspects of the public health sector, such as ongoing training, education, professional development, and scholarships.
The princess recently gave a speech at the 73rd World Health Assembly 2020, wherein she addressed the immense contribution of nurses in the fight against Coronavirus, further stating that “applause without action is no longer acceptable.” She is the recipient of the WHO Director-General’s Health Leaders Award and the Sigma Theta Tau International Archon Award. The American Nurses Credentialing Centre created the Princess Muna Award for Global Advocacy for International Credentialing, in recognition of her efforts at advancing the health sector.
The ICN Congress 2021 will host a plethora of nurses worldwide along with several special guests who will impart valuable knowledge about the public healthcare sector that has taken a considerable hit following the inception of the virulent pandemic. This year’s meet bears the theme of ‘Nursing Around the World’. It will include live events to offer a platform for participants to showcase their innovations and skills on an international stage. Registrations can be done before the June 9 Early Bird deadline on the ICN congress 2021 official registration page.
