Congratulatory message from Dr. Eleanor Nwadinobi,
President of the Medical Women’s International Association
On behalf of the Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA), I heartily congratulate the German Medical Women’s Association on occasion of her 100 year anniversary.
Founded in 1919, MWIA now in its 105th year directs her efforts and resources to proactively empower women in medicine and to continuously strive to improve the health and wellbeing of women and girls and their communities around the world.
In 1922 Esther Lovejoy, the first President of MWIA, encouraged the German Medical Women to establish a Medical Women’s Association (Mehr über die geschichtlichen Zusammenhänge vor und während der NS-Zeit finden Sie auf den folgenden Seiten; Anm. d. Red.). After World War Two a new association the “Deutscher Ärztinnenbund” (DÄB) was founded and reached out to MWIA. At that time a lot of colleagues from countries who suffered enormously under the Nazi Regime feared to meet the German colleagues but thanks to the determination of Esther Lovejoy the DÄB became affiliated again to MWIA.
The first German to be President of MWIA was Dr. Helga Thieme from 1975 to 1978 and she was known to have encouraged a lot of African countries to join MWIA. The first Secretary General from Germany, Carolyn Harding Motzel, was elected, and on 1 July 1983 the new MWIA Secretariat was established in Cologne. The Vice President for central Europe from Germany, Gertrud Zickgraf, from 1992 to 1995 visited countries in Eastern Europe to encourage them to join MWIA.
The Secretariat returned to Dortmund, Germany, following the 26th MWIA International Congress in Japan in August 2004 with the Secretary General Waltraud Diekhaus. Waltraud was Vice President for Central Europe from 2007 to 2013 and remained an active member of MWIA until her passing. She bequeathed “The Waltraud Diekhaus fund” that supports projects which increase knowledge of gender sensitive medicine including gender-based violence, supports related research and advances inclusion in medical education and all aspects of medicine.
The 28th MWIA International Congress, 27–30 July 2010, was hosted by the German Medical Women’s Association at The Residence, Munster, Germany. The theme was “Globalisation in Medicine – Challenges and Opportunities”. There was a special Congress Gala Evening at the historical site “Bröker’s Speicher No.10”. The MWIA President Atsuko Heshiki (2007–2010) from Japan came with her dance instructor and entertained the Congress participants with graceful and elegant ballroom dances. Another member of the German Medical Women’s Association, Prof. Dr. Bettina Pfleiderer, was MWIA President from 2016 to 2019.
Today MWIA represents more than 12,000 Female Physicians from 48 countries across 8 geographic regions of the World. MWIA was granted consultative status of the World Health Organization (WHO) as early as 1954 and the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 1987. For almost 70 years, the Association has contributed to elaboration of historic international treaties and resolutions for protecting and promoting the health, well-being and the rights of women and girls.
The 2022 to 2025 triennial Theme “One Humanity: Health Solutions Through Our Partnerships” is a global strategy highlighting the need for an approach that is inclusive, holistic, collaborative. Currently MWIA is also participating in the WHO-led consultation process for negotiation and elaboration of a new Global Treaty on the Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response. MWIA entered into partnerships with the “Every Woman Treaty” as well as the “Global Sepsis Alliance”. MWIA is also one of the Equity 2030 Alliance partners of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Group of Friends of Health (GoFH) with WHO and UNHCR and member of Innovation Equity Forum (IEF), Steering Committee of the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Founded in 1919, MWIA now in its 105th year directs her efforts and resources to proactively empower women in medicine and to continuously strive to improve the health and wellbeing of women and girls and their communities around the world.
In 1922 Esther Lovejoy, the first President of MWIA, encouraged the German Medical Women to establish a Medical Women’s Association (Mehr über die geschichtlichen Zusammenhänge vor und während der NS-Zeit finden Sie auf den folgenden Seiten; Anm. d. Red.). After World War Two a new association the “Deutscher Ärztinnenbund” (DÄB) was founded and reached out to MWIA. At that time a lot of colleagues from countries who suffered enormously under the Nazi Regime feared to meet the German colleagues but thanks to the determination of Esther Lovejoy the DÄB became affiliated again to MWIA.
The first German to be President of MWIA was Dr. Helga Thieme from 1975 to 1978 and she was known to have encouraged a lot of African countries to join MWIA. The first Secretary General from Germany, Carolyn Harding Motzel, was elected, and on 1 July 1983 the new MWIA Secretariat was established in Cologne. The Vice President for central Europe from Germany, Gertrud Zickgraf, from 1992 to 1995 visited countries in Eastern Europe to encourage them to join MWIA.
The Secretariat returned to Dortmund, Germany, following the 26th MWIA International Congress in Japan in August 2004 with the Secretary General Waltraud Diekhaus. Waltraud was Vice President for Central Europe from 2007 to 2013 and remained an active member of MWIA until her passing. She bequeathed “The Waltraud Diekhaus fund” that supports projects which increase knowledge of gender sensitive medicine including gender-based violence, supports related research and advances inclusion in medical education and all aspects of medicine.
The 28th MWIA International Congress, 27–30 July 2010, was hosted by the German Medical Women’s Association at The Residence, Munster, Germany. The theme was “Globalisation in Medicine – Challenges and Opportunities”. There was a special Congress Gala Evening at the historical site “Bröker’s Speicher No.10”. The MWIA President Atsuko Heshiki (2007–2010) from Japan came with her dance instructor and entertained the Congress participants with graceful and elegant ballroom dances. Another member of the German Medical Women’s Association, Prof. Dr. Bettina Pfleiderer, was MWIA President from 2016 to 2019.
Today MWIA represents more than 12,000 Female Physicians from 48 countries across 8 geographic regions of the World. MWIA was granted consultative status of the World Health Organization (WHO) as early as 1954 and the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 1987. For almost 70 years, the Association has contributed to elaboration of historic international treaties and resolutions for protecting and promoting the health, well-being and the rights of women and girls.
The 2022 to 2025 triennial Theme “One Humanity: Health Solutions Through Our Partnerships” is a global strategy highlighting the need for an approach that is inclusive, holistic, collaborative. Currently MWIA is also participating in the WHO-led consultation process for negotiation and elaboration of a new Global Treaty on the Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response. MWIA entered into partnerships with the “Every Woman Treaty” as well as the “Global Sepsis Alliance”. MWIA is also one of the Equity 2030 Alliance partners of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Group of Friends of Health (GoFH) with WHO and UNHCR and member of Innovation Equity Forum (IEF), Steering Committee of the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
