Membership of AFMW gives automatic membership of the Medical Women's International Association (MWIA), an association of medical women representing women doctors from all five continents. MWIA is represented on the Economic and Social Council of United Nations, the Board of the General Council of International Organisation of the Medical Sciences, the World Health Organisation has NGO observer status to the World Medical Association.

To register for MWIA newsletters please visit the MWIA website.

To view MWIA resolutions and position statements regarding issues affecting women’s health please click here.

The MWIA aims to:

To promote the cooperation of Medical Women in different countries and to develop friendship and understanding between Medical Women throughout the world.
To actively work against gender related inequalities in the medical profession between female and male doctors including career opportunities and economic aspects.
To offer medical women the opportunity to meet so as to confer upon questions concerning the health and well-being of humanity.
To overcome gender-related differences in health and healthcare between women and men, between girlchild and boychild throughout the world.

Foundation of the Medical Women's International Association

In 1919, the first international congress of women doctors was held in New York A committee of the American Medical Women's Association took this opportunity and organized a dinner in honour of distinguished medical women from different countries who had just returned from medical relief work in France. 140 guests from 16 nations attended the festivities. Some women doctors sensed the opportunity of forming an international association of medical women. In 1922, MWIA held its first international congress.

The Medical Women's International Association today

Today, MWIA is a parent organization, whose members represent 70 countries in all five continents. The different cultural backgrounds, medical traditions and problems of its members provide a stimulating forum. All Medical Women qualified according to the accepted standard of the medical profession in their own country are eligible for membership. It is also a requisite that all qualified Medical Women of a member country (National Association) must be eligible for membership irrespective of race, religion or political opinion. Individual Members are Medical Women from a country having no Association, who apply directly to the Association for membership.

International relations

The Association has been actively involved since the early fifties with the United Nations as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO). Today M.W.I.A. maintains official working relations with the World Health Organisation (W.H.O.), Category II Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and is involved in the Immunization Programmes of the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF).
Thus the Medical Women's International Association provides its members with the opportunity to exchange ideas medically and personally, and to exchange interests and experiences with colleagues from other nations. We have found, though we have different languages, customs, ideologies, and racial backgrounds, that, working together with mutual respect, we can contribute to humanity. We are motivated by the same hope, that all the world's people will become physically and mentally healthier and consequently better world citizens.

Biography: President of MWIA- Dr Shelley Nan Ross

Dr Shelley Nan Ross graduated from the University of Alberta, Canada in 1974. She is a full service family physician with over 30 years experience, with previous appointments as Chief and Vice-Chief roles at the Burnaby Hospital and St Michael’s Long Term Care. Shelley has a special interest in Obstetric care which comprises half of her practice. She is involved in a variety of committees and working groups including the Task Force on Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy, Maternity Care Enhancement, Prenatal Screening and Diagnostic Testing for Chromosomal and congenital Anomalies and various other committees relating to Perinatal care. Click here to read more.

MWIA Young Doctors and Medical Students Facebook Group

MWIA has a Facebook group for Young Doctors and Medical Students to network through. Click here to visit the Facebook group (Facebook registration required).