Reflecting on the GEIGS 2024 General Assembly: A Triumph of Advocacy and Community Power!

By Hannah Paraquett, GEIGS GA 2024 Social Media Correspondent

(Edited by Riya Sawhney, GEIGS 2024 Co-Chair )

As the dust settles on the greatness that was the GEIGS 2024 General Assembly, it's time to reflect on our remarkable journey and some key successes behind this event. This year, we not only surpassed expectations but also set new standards in organizing a global, virtual conference –  entirely unfunded and powered solely by the dedication and contributions of students and trainees passionate about global surgery.

Every event, no matter the size, has at least three parts: 1) preparation in the lead up to the event, 2) the event itself, and 3) the consequences or how we keep the momentum going. In this blog post I take you behind the scenes of a triumphant General Assembly. 

Preparations underway:

In the weeks prior to the Assembly, our team worked tirelessly to plan every aspect of our advocacy strategy. How could we reach the most people? How could we champion the strengths of our speakers? How could we make this a complete learning experience for those who attended? The answer: a bold social media strategy, creative tools to welcome the participants, a clear and cohesive visual identity throughout promotional material and conference media kits,and a wild twitter live session to enhance our conversations.

During planning, we knew that our speakers were the heart of the event, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. To ensure they received the attention they deserved, we launched a series of posts, introducing each speaker and highlighting their impressive credentials. More than just sharing information, our publications were a strategy to connect with our audience showcasing the speakers' journeys and their passion for global surgery - we coupled some speaker introductions with our wider Global Surgery advocacy campaign. In this way, we educated our audience about key concepts, introduced them to leaders in the field, and drummed up excitement for the upcoming event.  Prospective attendees expressed  their excitement about the lineup: reposting,commenting and interacting with our posts. We got over 300 registrations, far exceeding our initial expectations. Considering we relied primarily on word-of-mouth marketing, the influence of our speakers, and the strategic use of social media, achieving (and surpassing) our goals demonstrates the power of our community!

A welcoming event:

Being a global organization, GEIGS prioritizes  trying to connect people from around the world. We attracted delegates from all corners of the globe, representing various disciplines and career grades within the field of global surgery. From newbies to well-rounded researchers: this diversity enriched the discussions and broadened the perspectives shared during the Assembly. Emphasizing the importance of a warm welcome and orienting our delegates, our team developed a comprehensive and thoughtfully curated “Welcome Pack” including essential information, resources, and some unique touches that reflected the spirit of our assembly. Additionally, we curated Zoom backgrounds special to our event for speakers to use, creating a cohesive visual identity. These small but carefully thought-out  details helped enhance the delegate experience. 

Tweeting up a storm for lasting impact: 

During the event, we kept the momentum going with a robust live-tweeting session

highlighting main messages from our keynote speakers and panelists  using brief tweets and thoughtful threads. Our social media team (honorable mention to their lightning fast fingertips), composed entirely of volunteers from Brazil, Argentina, Kenya, USA, and Ethiopia, ensured that every significant moment was captured and shared in real-time. This not only kept our online audience engaged but also helped to amplify the reach of our discussions across time-zones. Our efforts were supremely successful.We were “trending” on Twitter/X as the #2 conference that week. Our hashtag #GEIGSGA2024 became a hub for lively discussions, insights, and networking, further cementing GEIGS’ reputation as a leader in  global surgery advocacy.

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of our 2024 ASSEMBLY is that all these achievements were accomplished by real people with full time commitments such as university or demanding clinical duties, without any financial backing. Every aspect of the event—from planning to execution—was carried out by a dedicated team who volunteered not just their time and skills, but also their deep passion for global surgery. This is a testament to what can be achieved when a group of like-minded individuals come together with a shared vision. It was more than just an event; it was a milestone in the movement for gender equity in global surgery.. We look back  with immense pride in what we have accomplished. We have set a new benchmark for what is possible when passion meets purpose, and we are excited to carry this momentum forward into our future endeavours.

Stay tuned to GEIGS’ upcoming work by following our social media @gendereqsurg on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn 💜

How to be a “critical” male ally for gender equity in surgery

By GEIGS DEJ Lead- Rabbey Raza

(Edited by Riya Sawhney, GEIGS 2024 Co-Chair )

“Caution is a very powerful force”, and I say that coming from one of the regions of the world where gender-based oppression is currently the highest. As a medical student in Pakistan, I have seen some serious systemic oppressions firsthand: from everyday injustices against the (few) female clinicians in our workplace to poorer health outcomes for female patients, even sexual violence out in society at large.  It is these experiences that have prompted me to be an ally, and it’s only now, looking back, that I have realised why it was one of the most impactful things I could do. 

It is only natural for an individual to act cautiously when someone from a group with the reputation of systemic oppression tries to act in favour of them. It’s natural to suspect the worst when you’ve seen it. As a male medical student, how could my actions favouring gender equity be trusted?  This was a problem I saw many of my friends struggle with. Despite our genuine cause, our actions were still taken as performative, from the operating room with our colleagues all the way to the roads for campaigns and marches. How could we ensure that our actions were not perceived as superficial, but rooted rooted in genuine causes instead? Over the last year as the Diversity, Equity and Justice Lead for GEIGS, I have realised the importance of “critical” male allyship for gender equity, and in this blog post, I discuss some key learnings that have, helped me do that to a good extent.

Understanding privilege and allyship 

What exactly is privilege? To put it in simple words, it’s an unearned advantage individuals possess simply due to their identity or social group manifesting in various forms such as gender, race, socioeconomic status, and more. 

Recognizing your privilege is the first step to becoming an effective ally. This recognition involves understanding the current social biases and acknowledging how these privileges impact others.  

Once you have identified your privileges, you can move from passive support to active encouragement, such as actively seeking opportunities to highlight the achievements and insights of your female colleagues and ensuring that their contributions are recognized and valued. Active encouragement also means actively discouraging injustice. When witnessing discriminatory behaviour, as a male ally, you must be prepared to challenge them. This includes calling out derogatory remarks, microaggressions, bullying and biased practices commonly seen in surgical specialties, and openly supporting initiatives that promote gender equity.

Finally, as a male ally, you should use your influence, and privileges, to push for institutional changes that help foster a more inclusive environment. To give equal opportunities to everyone irrespective of gender or identity. And to ensure that the voices of the minority groups are heard and properly responded to with sustainable actions.

Think of it as a ‘coin’

Stephanie A. Nixon put forth a very simplistic model to address health inequities due to discriminatory policies, norms, and actions that she called the ‘coin model’. 

According to this model, an individual is represented as a coin. The top of the coin represents one’s unearned advantages, and the bottom is representative of one’s unearned oppressions. For example, I, as a male medical student in Pakistan, have both privileges (cis-gendered, male, educated) and oppressions (ethnicity, race, geographic location).

The coin itself represents the societal norms and structures that give advantages or disadvantages regardless of whether an individual is aware of it. The goal is to dismantle the structure (i.e., the coin) itself.

The question is, how can one dismantle a rigid structure like a coin (metaphorical pun intended)?

The answer is simple. It’s your mindset. 

You see, when you view problems as challenges faced by a certain group, the solutions will focus on alleviating those challenges. But when the parent tumour remains, metastasis is always inevitable. If the problem persists despite the challenges being solved, new challenges will emerge eventually. Focus on the problem instead. 

Look at the coin itself. For instance, solutions addressing disabled people tend to achieve the norm of able-bodied people, like medical care and rehabilitation. Conversely, if you view the problem as an unfair social structure, then the cause of disability shifts from being located in an individual's body to being understood as a result of social, attitudinal and political environments. 

Solutions should be focused on social change to achieve true equity. 

This is where you come in as a “critical” ally. Your job here is simple. Use your position of privilege to identify social norms that have become the root cause of inequity and injustice, and work towards mitigating those problems, instead of just focusing on the challenges that result from those problems. Speak up, advocate, and join hands with dedicated organizations and campaigns

The need to ‘Shut up and listen’

Dr. Simon Fleming, an orthopaedic surgeon by profession and culture change advocate, in his speech on ‘Empowering change through allyship’ during our 4th annual General Assembly this year, put forth an extremely simple principle for allyship that is likely going to resonate throughout the history of the gender equity movement. 

According to him, the first step of being an ally is to “shut up and listen”. It’s as simple as that. 

As people coming from a more privileged background, we have an innate, subconscious need to be listened to, because societal norms have programmed us that just because we come from privileged backgrounds, our opinions hold more weight and/or value. The privileged speak and the oppressed listen. 

This is where Dr. Fleming’s principle comes into action. If you are privileged, then stop speaking. Transfer your privileges to those who have not historically had them. Let them speak, let their voices be heard. Let their words echo through history because at the end of the day, it is their voices we are trying to amplify in the first place, and it’s their words that will echo in the pages of history. As a male ally for gender equity in surgery, this means: 

1. First and foremost, letting my female colleagues tell me what they need – I cannot assume! I need to be invited to be an ally.

2. Transferring my privilege when I receive it – if I have been invited to speak on gender equity, are there women on the panel? If I am co-authoring a paper on gender equity, are other women on the author list?

3. Listening to those in less-privileged positions around me 

4. Championing this cause in my everyday actions and standing up for injustices, whatever the cost

Only when the favoured start to favour the unfavoured will the change start to catalyse. Only when you’ve stopped speaking will the minorities be able to speak and let their words be heard by the world. 

Let this be your sign to join a movement, an organization, or an advocacy campaign. And if you take only one thing away from this, let it be your need to listen first, and transfer your privilege. That is the most basic principle and a renowned one for advancing allyship efforts for gender equity. The one that I have decided to truly stand by.

In Conclusion…

The path to effective male allyship in global health and surgery is both a personal journey and a societal commitment. It begins with a deep recognition of one’s privilege and an understanding of how systemic inequities shape the experiences of marginalized communities. In conclusion, the role of male allies in global health and surgery is crucial for advancing gender equity. It requires a commitment to humility, active engagement, and a focus on systemic change. By transferring their privileges, listening first, amplifying marginalized voices, and addressing the root causes of inequity, male allies can become catalysts for a more just and inclusive world.

Understanding the Plight of Climate Refugees in Brazil: My Volunteering Experience During the Floods in Rio Grande do Sul

By Marina Reis de Oliveira 

For GEIGS World Refugee Day Campaign June 2024

(Edited by Riya Sawhney, GEIGS 2024 Co-Chair )

*Pictures without captions were kindly offered by Maria Eduarda Fortes. Used with permission and not for profit.

In May 2024, a climate catastrophe spread across the state of Rio Grande do Sul: devastating floods hit 90% of its cities and tens of thousands of inhabitants. Porto Alegre, the state capital, and other regions met with destruction like never before in its history, and thousands of people were displaced.  As a medical student volunteer involved in rescues and supporting the climate refugees, I had the opportunity to witness the resilience and solidarity of our community in a time of crisis.

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May 6, 2024: It could be a day like any other, but instead of birds, the noise of helicopters and boat engines dominated the dawn. Amidst the chaos, the waters invaded the houses in Porto Alegre and, with no choice, residents tried to save what they could: a mattress, an important document, their pet. Five days after the public calamity was declared, we were in a state of emergency. No electricity, no water, no cell phone signal and no means of communicating with our loved ones. The fear was paralyzing and, despite not being directly affected at that moment, the threat was real and imminent.

June 23, 2024: Today, more than a month after the climate disaster began, I reflect on the profound impact this situation has had on the lives of so many families. After leaving my own home for safety, rescuing my brother by boat, removing people who lost everything from the water at rescue points and welcoming refugees in the various shelters spread across the capital, I realized the true depth and dimension of the destruction and the deep need for solidarity. Seeing the devastation and despair up close transformed my perspective, reinforcing the importance of community support and voluntary action in times of crisis.

Marina on the frontline

This white and green building is Marina's home

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I started volunteering in rescues and shelters not entirely by choice, but out of an impulse and the need to act. In the beginning, everything was disorganized: those needing shelter arrived nonstop without adequate facilities, there was a shortage of help, confusion reigned, and communication was difficult due to the lack of cell signal and electricity in almost the entire city. My university, focused on health sciences, quickly mobilized students and professionals to work on the front lines. Each time I went, my heart was in my throat, uncertain if I'd be able to return home, as the water rapidly approached my street and fear came in waves.

This is where we carried out the rescues, people came in boats and army trucks and we had to remove them and take them to the medical cabin (which was actually just a tent)

Participating in the rescues was one of the most intense and challenging experiences of my life. Seeing people's destruction and anguish up close motivated me to keep working. In shelters, I witnessed stories of loss and resilience: relatives searching for their loved ones, children scared and confused, chronically ill people without their medications, entire lives washed away in just a few hours. What struck me most was the courage and determination of these people in rebuilding their lives.

The first person I helped out of a boat during rescues was a lady in her 60s. In tears and terrified, she screamed that she had lost everything, with no time to save anything. When she saw me in a white coat, she hugged me and said she finally felt safe. Her words and her immediate relief touched me deeply. I was floored for a few seconds as I hugged her back, because no medical school can prepare someone for situations like this. It taught me that being a doctor is not just about medical knowledge, but also about providing comfort and reassurance in times of crisis. It highlighted the human side of medicine, where empathy and compassion are as crucial as any medical skill.

Now, we face a "new normal" reminiscent of the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing with it a frightening reality. Roads, avenues, and streets flooded and blocked, airports disabled, houses, shops and buildings destroyed, material losses in homes and commercial establishments, lack of water and basic food supply. Our agricultural production is at high risk of crop failure. And the worst of all: 176 confirmed deaths, 40 missing and more than 600,000 homeless, with 467 of the state's 497 cities wondering how to rebuild after such a tragedy.

Many organizations are working tirelessly to provide help, and it is worth highlighting the fundamental role that the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has played. UNHCR has deployed a specialized team for shelter management, documentation, and the prevention of gender-based violence to the disaster areas, coordinating the reception of relief items. The team provides technical assistance to improve shelter operations, especially in Porto Alegre. Together with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), UNHCR is assessing the needs of refugees and migrants to support the most urgent cases. Their efforts are crucial in maintaining hope and stability for the victims, demonstrating the power of international solidarity in the face of catastrophe.

You can learn more about what the UNHCR has done to help climate change refugees in Brazil and around the world here.

In the midst of all the chaos, solidarity emerged as a light in dark times. Volunteers from all corners came together to help, offering their time, resources, and emotional support. Neighbors sheltered homeless families. Donations of food, clothing, and essential items arrived from various parts of the country, and healthcare professionals worked tirelessly to serve those in need. The empathy and compassion shown were inspiring, demonstrating that even in the worst circumstances, unity and generosity can prevail, providing hope and relief to those affected.

On this World Refugee Day, it is essential that we remember the thousands of people who, like those affected by the floods in Rio Grande do Sul, face the loss of their homes and uncertainty about the future. Solidarity, empathy, and ongoing support are vital to helping displaced communities get back on their feet. It is certain that the impact of the climate crisis will be felt by all around the world, not just in Brazil. May we all come together for a fairer and more equitable world, where no one needs to face the arduous, often fatal, repercussions of the climate crisis alone. May our global community recognize the signs of impending disaster and see these widespread, devastating events as an alarming call to action - the best time to act was yesterday, the next best time to act is now. 

Join us in supporting those affected by making a donation today and make a difference in their lives. Link for Donation:

The government of Rio Grande do Sul https://sosenchentes.rs.gov.br/international-donations

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) https://www.unhcr.ca/