Claire Somerville focused on Trump’s executive orders related to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), and more specifically on women and gender, in order to examine how these directives impact global health outcomes. Her intervention highlighted the significance of gender in health — from the frontline delivery of services addressing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and gender-based violence (GBV), to the influence on health negotiations, work plans, and budget lines within Geneva’s global health landscape.

Claire Somerville is an anthropologist and internationally recognised expert on gender and gender politics in global health research and policy with over two decades of experience bridging academic research and multilateral policy and practice. As Executive Director of the Gender Centre she leads research and policy engagement on gender justice, intersectional inequalities, and global health equity. 

Vinh-Kim Nguyen explored why gender and global health were among the first targets of the Trump administration, analysing the impact of these early actions on health systems and communities around the world. He reflected on the consequences for the International Geneva ecosystem — where multilateral responses are shaped — and considered the broader geopolitical implications of these policy shifts on the global stage.

Vinh-Kim Nguyen is a physician and anthropologist and is co Director of the Global Health Center.