Across Pakistan, thousands of frontline health workers, many of them women, go door to door to ensure children receive lifesaving polio vaccines. Their work requires patience, persistence and, above all, the ability to build trust with families in the communities they serve.

Each March, as the world marks International Women’s Day, we are reminded that recognising women’s contributions cannot be limited to a single day. The occasion invites us to reflect on the lifelong commitment required to advance rights, dignity and opportunity for women everywhere.

In communities across Pakistan, that commitment is visible in the women who carry the right to health from door to door. Their work demonstrates a core principle of social and behavioural change. Lasting change begins with trust, respect and human connection. Erum, an Area In-Charge in the polio programme, is one of these women.