Abt Associates, Rockville, MD, USA.
National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Formerly of Abt Associates, Rockville, MD, USA.
Glob Health Sci Pract. 2023 Jun 21;11(3). doi: 10.9745/GHSP-D-22-00508.
Historically, vector control, including entomological monitoring, has been a field dominated by men. Each year, the U.S. President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) VectorLink project hires 50,000 to 70,000 seasonal workers across the countries in which it works to implement vector control activities, creating an economic opportunity for both men and women. Remaining barriers to women's employment in vector control include social and cultural norms regarding acceptability of formal employment for women, perceptions that women are not fit to serve as spray operators, and a historical context of male-dominated fields such as entomology.
We use PMI VectorLink project data from Madagascar, Rwanda, and Zambia for 2019-2021 and key informant interviews with project staff in these countries to examine levels of female employment, effectiveness and efficiency of female versus male malaria spray operators, and strategies to expand the role of women in vector control.
The percentage of female seasonal employees ranges from 25% in Madagascar to 32% in Rwanda and 45% in Zambia. The percentage of women in leadership positions ranges from 32% in Madagascar and Rwanda to 38% in Zambia. Men and women are equally effective and efficient as spray operators. Best practices for recruiting and retaining women in vector control include engaging community leaders in recruitment, implementing affirmative action hiring policies, mentoring women to progress to leadership positions, and ensuring equitable, safe, and attractive workplaces.
As vector control programs transition away from donor funding and are increasingly government led, sustaining gains in female empowerment is critical. Country programs should work closely with national, regional, district, and local leaders to demonstrate the importance of hiring women in vector control-including leadership positions-and the impact on female economic empowerment, community well-being, and success of vector control programs.
从历史上看，病媒控制，包括昆虫学监测，一直是男性主导的领域。每年，美国总统疟疾倡议（PMI）VectorLink 项目都会在其工作的国家雇佣 5 万至 7 万名季节性工人来实施病媒控制活动，为男性和女性创造了经济机会。女性在病媒控制领域就业的剩余障碍包括关于女性接受正式就业的社会和文化规范、认为女性不适合担任喷雾操作员的看法，以及昆虫学等男性主导领域的历史背景。
我们使用 PMI VectorLink 项目在马达加斯加、卢旺达和赞比亚的 2019-2021 年的数据以及来自这些国家的项目工作人员的关键知情人访谈，来考察女性就业水平、女性与男性疟疾喷雾操作员的有效性和效率，以及扩大女性在病媒控制中的作用的策略。
季节性女性员工的比例范围从马达加斯加的 25%到卢旺达的 32%和赞比亚的 45%。女性在领导层中的比例范围从马达加斯加和卢旺达的 32%到赞比亚的 38%。男性和女性作为喷雾操作员同样有效和高效。在病媒控制中招聘和留住女性的最佳实践包括让社区领导人参与招聘、实施平权行动招聘政策、指导女性晋升领导职位，以及确保公平、安全和有吸引力的工作场所。
随着病媒控制项目从捐赠资金过渡到越来越由政府主导，维持女性赋权的成果至关重要。国家项目应与国家、地区、地区和地方领导人密切合作，展示在病媒控制中雇佣女性（包括领导职位）的重要性，以及对女性经济赋权、社区福祉和病媒控制项目成功的影响。
