Support the global movement for Women in Science and Education

Today is International Day of Women and Girls in Science. In recognition, the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) has launched #FIPWiSE for @WomenScienceDay, an initiative to empower women in #PharmaceuticalSciences or education to achieve their full potential.

To help achieve gender equity for Women in pharmaceutical Science and Education and empower them to achieve their full potential, and to attract students and young women into the fields of science or education, we have launched the FIPWiSE campaign.

Like many professions in the medical field, pharmacy has historically been male-dominated. However, as the Pharmacy Technician profession developed in Canada it became comprised predominately by women. As part of a Women in Pharmacy Leadership Initiative, the Canadian Pharmacists Association recently commissioned a report to analyze available data on women pharmacists working in different aspects of pharmacy. The report examined where gaps exist and found that there is an under-representation of women pharmacists in decision-making roles, or roles with authority and power. This pattern is far from unique to pharmacy and mirrors general societal inequities.

As Pharmacy Technicians we have an opportunity to be aware of the potential for gender inequity gaps within our profession and consider how that affects the way we work with our pharmacist and other healthcare colleagues. One way we can start the conversation is by supporting the #FIPWiSE campaign. Let’s do that by:

• Sharing the #FIPWiSE launch video on your social media (FIP Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn) and use the #FIPWiSE hashtag
• Visiting the FIP website to download and share #FIPWiSE tweets
• Using the #FIPWiSE Twibbon on your social media profile to unite and show support
• Sharing #FIPWiSE messages on social media and translate into other languages