WLEH Advisory Council Sets Bold Vision for 2030

By: Jennifer Tapia Boada

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The Women Leaders in Eye Health Advisory Council convened on 23 July 2026 for one of its most significant meetings to date, bringing together Advisory Council members, representatives from Orbis International and Seva Foundation, gender and eye health leaders from across the sector, and the WLEH team as a whole, to reflect on progress and help shape the initiative's future direction.

For the first time, the meeting also welcomed the participation of Kathleen Sherwin, President and CEO of Orbis International, alongside full participation from the Advisory Council, underscoring the growing importance of WLEH within the global eye health landscape.

Far more than a routine progress review, the meeting focused on a central question: What will it take for WLEH to become a transformative force for gender equity and leadership in eye health by 2030?

‍Participants explored how leadership development, advocacy, country-level action, evidence generation, and systems change can be better connected to accelerate progress for women across the sector. The discussion reflected strong engagement from participants and a shared commitment to positioning WLEH as a platform capable of advancing leadership, strengthening institutions, and driving sustainable change across the eye health ecosystem.
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A Shared Vision for the Next Phase

In her opening reflections, Kathleen Sherwin emphasized three strategic opportunities for WLEH: strengthening leadership pipelines, embedding gender within eye health systems, and generating evidence that demonstrates how women's leadership contributes to stronger eye health outcomes. She challenged participants to consider what WLEH should ultimately be known for by 2030.  

Importantly, she also reaffirmed Orbis's commitment to elevating WLEH from a project into a broader platform for influence and systems change, noting that future investment, staffing support, and strategic prioritization would be considered as part of the initiative's continued growth.  

The conversations that followed demonstrated a strong level of engagement from Advisory Council members, who brought diverse perspectives from across the global eye health community. Discussions explored how WLEH can address structural barriers affecting women's advancement, strengthen leadership pathways throughout the professional career continuum, and contribute to more equitable and inclusive eye health systems.  
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Reflecting on Progress and Influence

The Council also reflected on the significant momentum generated over the past year. WLEH continues to expand its role as a bridge between global advocacy, country-level implementation, and leadership development. Recent activities have strengthened mentorship opportunities, fostered national and regional professional networks, and increased visibility for gender equity within eye health.  

Particular attention was given to WLEH's participation in major global fora, including Women Deliver and InSight Live. These engagements helped position WLEH not only as a convener, but increasingly as a contributor to broader discussions on policy, leadership, and health systems transformation. Participants also reflected on WLEH's contribution to regional consultations and the development of the Nairobi Commitments, which will help inform discussions leading up to the Global Eye Health Summit later this year.  

A significant part of the discussion focused on the next generation of leadership investments. WLEH presented its emerging vision for an integrated leadership ecosystem designed to support women throughout different stages of their professional journeys. This includes leadership development, mentorship, innovation opportunities, fellowships, and enhanced support systems intended to strengthen both individual and institutional impact.  

Participants expressed strong interest in expanding structured mentorship opportunities and developing leadership pathways capable of nurturing future mentors, advocates, researchers, innovators, and decision-makers. Advisory Council members also emphasized the importance of measuring success not only through participation numbers, but through evidence of institutional and systems-level change.  
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Looking Ahead

The meeting concluded with a clear sense of optimism and momentum. Across discussions, a shared theme emerged: WLEH's greatest opportunity lies not simply in supporting individual women leaders, but in helping transform the systems, institutions, and workforce structures that shape opportunities for leadership and advancement.

As WLEH looks toward 2030, the Advisory Council reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening evidence, increasing visibility, expanding leadership pipelines, and building partnerships capable of driving lasting change across the eye health sector.  

The July Advisory Council meeting marked an important milestone in that journey, one characterized by strong participation, ambitious thinking, and a shared belief that empowering women leaders is not only an equity imperative, but a pathway toward stronger and more resilient eye health systems for all.


2026 WLEH Advisory Council

The following leaders are serving as members of the Women Leaders in Eye Health Advisory Council in 2026, providing strategic guidance and helping shape the future direction of the initiative:

• Dr. Catherine Hansen
• Dr. Nora Obudho
• Dr. Sara Wester
• Dr. Lucia Silva
• Dr. Nombuso Mathe
• Professor Dr. Ava Hossain
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Learn more about the Advisory Council.