8 global leaders share how we can close the women’s health gap

Healthy women are the cornerstone of robust and prosperous societies and economies. Despite this, women’s health issues have historically been under-researched, underfunded and undervalued.

According to a January 2024 report by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with the McKinsey Health Institute, health burdens for women are systematically underestimated, and women are more likely to face barriers to care.

The Global Alliance for Women’s Health is a trusted global, multisector platform for the health of women, building on the undeniable evidence that investing in women’s health is the best investment to make for societies and economies. The Alliance presents a tremendous opportunity to mobilize multi-stakeholder commitments towards closing the women’s health gap, including through innovative financing, supporting women’s health innovation and advocating for the importance of healthy women to drive social and economic gains. Addressing the women’s health gap would boost the global economy by $1 trillion annually — a 1.7% increase in per capita GDP.

This International Women’s Day, eight Board members of the Global Alliance for Women’s Health have shared their views on some of the most neglected or deprioritized aspects of women’s health — and they've explained how the Alliance can contribute to addressing these issues.

Dr. Anita Zaidi, President of the Gender Equality Division, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Today, four in 10 pregnant women have anaemia, or iron deficiency. The impacts can be devastating — from stunting a baby’s brain development and growth to causing a mother to bleed to death after giving birth. The Alliance is committed to increasing attention and resources, so all mums can have a safe pregnancy and all babies can get a healthy start at life. Ending anaemia, including through prenatal vitamins, could save nearly 800,000 children’s lives and add $110 billion+ to the economy. Together, we’re working to save women’s lives, and foster a healthier, more resilient and more equal world.

Her Excellency Nisia Trindade Lima, Minister of Health, Government of Brazil

One unacceptably deprioritized aspect of women’s health is the integration of healthcare services for women in pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. To create truly resilient health systems, we must ensure that women’s health concerns are adequately represented in the development of diagnostic tools, medicines and vaccines, and that there is equity in access to healthcare innovations. The Global Alliance for Women’s Health can support this goal by creating awareness and facilitating research within a multistakeholder community on the various aspects of women’s health that should be considered during health emergencies and pandemics, and advocating to build resilient and equitable health systems, based on integral care, that ensure that women are not left behind.

Dr. Victor Dzau, President, National Academy of Medicine

Sex and gender disparities in health have historically been overlooked in biomedical research. To accelerate progress, the Innovation Opportunity Map from the US National Institutes for Health and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation highlighted areas for improvement: data, research design, policy, innovation, social determinants, training and partnerships. To address these challenges, innovative approaches, collaboration and resources are essential. The US White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research announced a $100 million innovation sprint, setting a bold example for US funding. Globally, there is a need for leadership and capacity building in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs). The National Academy of Medicine, supported by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, will launch a Fellowship to Advance International Women’s Health R&D, which will support leaders from LMICs in enhancing their skills and building networks in scientific policy and innovation.

Collaboration among diverse stakeholders is essential. The Forum’s Global Alliance for Women’s Health offers a key vehicle to effectively advance solutions — by bringing together diverse public and private stakeholders, defining global metrics for progress and promoting international sharing of best practices.

Dr. Shyam Bishen, Head of the Centre for Health and Healthcare, World Economic Forum

One often neglected aspect of women's health is mental health, specifically related to perinatal mental health issues like postpartum depression and anxiety. The Global Alliance for Women's Health can contribute by raising awareness, advocating for better screening and support systems and promoting access to mental health services for women during and after pregnancy. Additionally, it can facilitate research and collaborations to develop tailored interventions and resources for women worldwide.

Elisabeth Staudinger, Managing Board Member, Siemens Healthineers

We urgently need to address the gender gap in healthcare. The fact that women are 50% more likely to be misdiagnosed after suffering a heart attack than men underscores the challenge we are currently facing. The Global Alliance for Women’s Health can help turn the tide and raise awareness to ensure women have equal representation in all aspects of healthcare. By closing the women’s health gap, we can potentially boost the global economy by $1 trillion annually by 2040 — which is why each and every person has a role to play.

Per Falk, President, Ferring Pharmaceuticals

Closing the women’s health gap is long overdue. It starts by acknowledging that this is not only about solving an issue for women. It’s about the future of health and well-being for the entire population of the world. The issue is complex and deep-rooted — expressed in policies, in science, in healthcare budget allocation, service-delivery and data. As a solutions provider in maternal health and reproductive medicine, we at Ferring know that better than most. The complexity might strike us as daunting and insurmountable, but similar challenges have been successfully addressed and overcome before, and they will not decrease if we wait. The time to come together and act is now.”

Nakhumicha S. Wafula, Cabinet Secretary of Health, Government of Kenya

Three decades on from the International Conference on Population and Development, the world has neglected to harness the potential that lies within ensuring equal access to education, employment and economic opportunities for women and girls and the co-benefits that can be accrued, not just for women’s health, but as the cornerstone of national progress and sustainable development. The Global Alliance for Women’s Health should build partnerships that catalyze multisectoral action, in line with this year’s IWD theme “Invest in women: Accelerate progress” to ensure that investment in women's health is tangible and strategic, leaving no one behind. We must reshape the narrative towards health equity and empowerment of all girls and women, in line with the SDGs.

Catherine Russell, Executive Director, UNICEF

It is the right of every adolescent girl to survive and thrive. Yet the investments in the health of adolescent girls continue to be under-prioritized and that is contributing to a health gender gap with potentially devastating consequences for girls and their communities. We cannot leave the world’s 600 million adolescent girls behind. They have the potential to become the largest generation of change-makers the world has ever seen, helping societies and economies to prosper. Investing in girls’ physical, mental, and reproductive health can lead to economic and social returns of up to ten times their cost — making it an investment that contributes to a more equitable and prosperous world for all.