GSF’s transitional councils meet for the first time
The Global Surgery Foundation (GSF) held its first joint meeting of the transitional High-Level Council and transitional Technical Advisory Council in April 2023. The meeting was attended by some of the world's leading experts in global surgery and related fields, who gathered to operationalize the councils and discuss the development of GSF constituencies.
As a Swiss-based foundation, the GSF established a robust governance structure. The structure was carefully designed with the GSF Founding Members and leading experts to create a highly effective organisation with strong and equitable representation from all global regions and sectors, providing a strong guiding voice from stakeholders in low- and middle-income countries.
“The governance was carefully designed to create a highly effective organisation with strong and equitable representation ”
Two transitional councils have been established: the transitional High-Level Council (HLC) and the transitional Technical Advisory Council (TAC). The transitional period will last for 12 months, during which the councils will have two goals: developing constituencies to operationalise the HLC and TAC, and assuming the functions of the HLC and TAC until these are fully operational.
At the end of the transitional period, the constituencies will select their representatives, and the HLC and TAC will be fully operational. At this point, the transitional councils will end their operation. This approach has been designed to ensure transparent and equitable operationalising of the governance, reflecting the needs of frontline stakeholders.
“The transitional approach has been designed reflecting the needs of frontline stakeholders”
The HLC is the level of governance for the GSF that will provide a strong constituency-based forum for stakeholder engagement and strategic guidance with the Foundation Board and Secretariat. Its main role is to provide the Foundation with strong leadership in the development of strategies and policies, while the TAC will provide expert specialist advice to ensure that the Foundation's vision, mission, and global programme of work are appropriate for the identified needs in the areas of Surgical, Obstetrical, and Anaesthesia Care.
The establishment of the transitional councils and the ongoing transitional period underlines the GSF's commitment to developing a robust governance structure that reflects the needs of frontline stakeholders.