WWPWFM: Spreading the Wings to the WONCA Regions

Background: Wonca Working Party on Women and Family Medicine (WWPWFM) was established at the 16th International Conference of WONCA in Durban, South Africa in 2001 under the leadership of Prof. Cheryl Levitt.The working party initially started as a Special Interest Group (SIG) in Australia in 1998, under the leadership of Prof. Marilyn McMurchie, with the agenda to promote female family doctors in WONCA. Other leaders who transformed this working party into its current shape are the following: Prof. Amanda Howe (2007- 09), Amanda Barnard (2009-13), Prof. Z. L. Dada (2013-16), Dr. Kate Anteyi (2016-18), Dr. Aileen Riel-Espina (2018-20), Dr. Noemi Mimi Doohan (2021-22) and other colleagues like Prof. Lucy Candib and Dr. A.D Atai Omorutu.

The vision is to support /promote women doctors in WONCA to reach their full potential to contribute to patient care, especially women’s health, to education, training, research, mentorship, leadership and Wonca initiatives around the world. It is also meant to ensure equity and transparency in implementing Wonca policies, procedures at conferences and to identify key issues within Wonca for women. We also aim at reducing the barriers faced by women and to highlight their special contributions.

The current objectives for this year are to rebuild the working party into the regions: To establish regional teams at the WONCA regions and a communication team for the working party.

A regional team of the WONCA Working Party on Women and Family Medicine (WWPWFM) should consist of at least the following members: Lead, communications representative, young doctors’ representative, and a country representative. As per the WONCA world’s guidelines, a criterion was developed for the regional lead, communication rep, young doctor rep and country rep.

Lead of the Regional Wonca Working Party of Women and Family Medicine

Criteria and functions:
• Must be a family doctor.
• Must be an active member of the working party.
• Must be a member of the member organisation of the region or a direct member of WONCA.
• Term: Two years and can be extended for one more term. Max time is 4 years.
• Will be accountable for the group.
• No financial benefits.
• Develop a Two-year work plan for the region.
• Have a touch base with your members in the working party, at least a minimum of 4 times a year.
• Attend regional meetings and pre-conferences conducted by the chair of the working party.
• Know the number of members in your region.
• Organize webinars & pre-conferences during the regional conferences and Ongoing activities.
• Participate in writing Wonca news articles and world conferences.
• Write six (6) monthly reports to the chair of the working party.
• Steps taken to ensure gender balance and involvement in activities of WONCA regions.
• Offering opportunity for new members of the group (new ideas, projects, portfolio etc).

Communication representative of the Regional Wonca Working Party of Women and Family Medicine

Criteria and functions
• Must be a family doctor,
• Must be an active member of the working party.
• Must be a member of the member organisation of the region or a direct member of WONCA.
• Term: Two years and can be extended for one more term. Max time is 4 years.
• No financial benefits.
• Will be accountable for the communication within the working party.
• Will be member of the world WWPWFM communication group.
• Attend regional meetings conducted by the chair of the working party.
• Assist with communication within the regions and World.
• Assist with improving the number of members in your region.
• Assist with updating the WONCA portal and website.

Young doctor’s representative of the Regional Wonca Working Party of Women and Family Medicine

Criteria and functions:
• Must be a Family Medicine registrar or Family Doctor with less than 5 years of experience.
• Must be a member of wonca young doctor’s movement.
• Must be an active member of the working party/member organisation of the region.
• Term: Two years and can be extended for one more term. Max time is 4 years.
• No financial benefits
• Will be accountable for the young doctor’s activities within the party and bring new ideas from a young doctor perspective.


Country representative of the Regional Wonca Working Party of Women and Family Medicine

Criteria and functions:
• Must be a family doctor,
• Must be a member of the member organisation of the region or a direct member of WONCA.
• Must be an active member of the working party.
• Term: Two years and can be extended for one more term. Max time is 4 years.
• Will be accountable for the activities of the working party within the country.
• No financial benefits.
• Assist with the lead with regional activities within the working party.
• Have meetings with women in your country during conferences and activities.

The above standards will enhance WONCA to identify women with potential expertise who can be developed into leadership roles to ensure equity. The working party humbly requests WONCA executives and WONCA regional presidents to assist us in achieving these objectives.

It will be highly appreciated if we will be supported in these objectives in all the WONCA regions.

Kind regards,
ELIZABETH Reji
Dr Elizabeth Reji
Chair: WWPWFM