ICN - International Council of Nurses

ICN CEO Howard Catton and Senior Policy Advisor Hoi Shan Fokeladeh were delighted to welcome ICN 3rd Vice-President Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, alongside her team from the Ghana Registered Nurses' & Midwives' Association - GRNMA.

With the GRNMA delegation attending this year’s International Labour Organization Conference, the meeting highlighted shared contributions to key global priorities — including gender equity, the protection and safety of nurses and health and care workers, and the evolving Ebola outbreak, underscoring the vital role of nursing leadership in response efforts.

A historic moment for nursing at the 114th International Labour Conference!
For the first time in 10 years, ICN took the floor to call for real progress on gender equality in the world of work.
ICN stressed that gender equality is essential for resilient health systems and fair societies. Nurses, mostly women and the backbone of care, still face pay inequity, unsafe conditions, undervaluation, and limited leadership opportunities.
We urged investment in the care economy: decent work, fair pay, safe staffing, strong education, leadership development, social protection, and workplaces free from violence and harassment.
ICN also called on the International Labour Organization to formally recognise the new global Definition of Nursing to ensure all regulated nursing professionals are accurately represented in international labour frameworks.
A proud, long awaited moment for the profession and a major step forward for gender equality worldwide.
🔗 Read the full statement here: https://bit.ly/4ufS5zR

Register now for the 2026 ICN NP/APN Network Conference, 14–17 September 2026, in Nashville, TN! Join advanced practice nurses from around the world for a stimulating 4-day international exchange of ideas and strategies in advanced practice nursing.

https://ow.ly/bx4U50YEx9h
ICN - International Council of Nurses
American Nurses Association
ICN Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse Network

ICN's Howard Catton met with Adi Marcus, of the Histadrut-General Federation of Labour in Israel, who is currently in Geneva for the International Labour Organization meetings. They held an important discussion on nurses’ working conditions, including safe staffing levels and the importance of sharing evidence and research to improve decent work for all healthcare workers.

ICN responds with grave concern to the publication of the Safeguarding Health In Conflict Coalition (SHCC)'s annual report, Care in the Crosshairs, which documents relentless and escalating violence against health care workers, facilities, and patients across 33 countries and territories in 2025.

➡️ Read more: bit.ly/43c0fOz

At , ICN amplified the nursing voice, showing that empowered nurses drive the global health agenda.

🔗 Read more: bit.ly/4dCtJv5
📄 Explore our wrap-up: bit.ly/4feE8hQ

El presidente del CIE, Jose Luis Cobos Serrano, junto con las enfermeras que participaron en el 12º Congreso de Enfermería de Canarias y la 14ª Conferencia de Innovación en Enfermería, se mantienen unidos en apoyo a ante el agravamiento del brote de ébola en la República Democrática del Congo (RDC) y Uganda.

«Las enfermeras y el personal sanitario de primera línea en la RDC y Uganda deben tener acceso inmediato a equipos de protección personal (EPP), herramientas de detección y a los recursos necesarios para protegerse a sí mismos, a sus pacientes y a sus comunidades».

➡️ Más información sobre : https://bit.ly/4u3cRm7

ICN President José Luis Cobos Serrano, together with nurses attending the 12th Canary Islands Nursing Congress and the 14th Nursing Innovation Conference, stand united in support of in response to the escalating Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda.

"Nurses and frontline health workers in DRC and Uganda must have immediate access to PPE, screening equipment and the resources they need to protect themselves, their patients and their communities."

➡️ Learn more about : bit.ly/4tYQKNy

🚀 ICN CEO Howard Catton was proud to support the launch of The Lancet Group MedZero: Health Data for Climate Action, a new global initiative that allows clinicians and health leaders to access carbon emissions data for thousands of health care products and procedures, from syringes and scalpels to chest X-rays and pharmaceuticals.

The launch, hosted by The Lancet, brought together global partners including the Philippines, University of Singapore, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and Médecins Sans Frontières / MSF, highlighting the power of collaboration in driving climate-smart health care.

Learn about the Lancet MedZero here: https://bit.ly/4dzeu65