Global leaders are transforming the conversation on women’s health. Here's how

Despite the evidence that investing in women’s health positively impacts economic and social development, women’s health is extremely under-researched, under-funded and under-valued. To build a prosperous, inclusive and resilient world, this must change.

To rewrite the narrative around women’s health, support women and girls agency and accelerate investments in women’s health that benefit families and communities, the World Economic Forum’s Global Alliance for Women’s Health, supported by the Gates Foundation, is convening stakeholders globally to raise awareness of the challenges and opportunities in advancing women’s health outcomes.

The Gates Foundation is committed to advancing gender equality and women’s health globally and as the co-chair of the Global Alliance for Women’s Health, it is partnering with the Forum and other key organizations to close the women’s health gap by improving research, innovation, financing, policy and advocacy for women’s health.

The Global Alliance of Women’s Health launched the Community of Champions during the 79th UN General Assembly (UNGA 79).

Representing a community of global leaders from diverse regions, geographies and sectors, they elevate women’s health to the global agenda to mobilize commitments and resources from the public and private sectors to close the health gap.

Former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark, a champion of the alliance, believes, “Investing in women’s health is not only a moral imperative but a strategic move contributing to a more inclusive, prosperous and resilient world.

“The community of champions is coming together to elevate women’s health on the global agenda and close the women’s health gap to ensure women worldwide have access to the care they deserve. Together, we are shaping a healthier, more equitable future for women everywhere.”

The Community of Champions comprises members from governments, international organizations, academic institutions, civil society and private sector corporations and it represents about 15 countries. The full list of alliance champions is available here.

At the alliance’s annual meeting during the Forum’s Sustainable Development Impact Meetings alongside UNGA 79, the champions came together to share their insights on how the narrative around women’s health can be redefined. Their priority actions include:

Too often, women’s experiences and perspectives have been ignored and devalued, even when we speak of women’s power and agency.

To ensure that women’s needs and desires are accurately, adequately and inclusively reflected in the global agenda, we must first ensure that women are at the centre of and leading the conversation, not secondary characters in their own stories.

In a world where nearly half of all pregnancies are unintended and 164 million people have an unmet need for contraception, ensuring that women can make decisions about their bodies, including reproductive and sexual health, is crucial.

Supporting women and girls as the guardians of their health by ensuring their access to the information and healthcare they need is essential.

Doing so means they can contribute as productive members of society without coercion or discrimination, improving the overall prosperity of families, societies and economies.

Not only do women need more healthcare and have more healthcare costs than men, they are also more likely to be poor.

H E Monica Geingos, the former first lady of Namibia and champion, says, “In order to break the generational, mutually reinforcing cycles of poverty and ill-health for women, adolescent girls need to be uplifted by ensuring their access to education and healthcare, and creating a stigma-free environment for them to thrive and feel secure about their futures.”

Women’s issues are not limited to women-specific conditions. Women experience a wide range of health conditions differently than men, such as heart disease, migraines and depression, which has not been adequately accounted for in medical research, healthcare investments and public health responses.

It is vital to apply a women’s lens to the entire spectrum and lifespan of health and healthcare to better understand and identify all health disparities women face and close the women’s health gap.

Getting the best social and political capital for women involves a multifaceted approach that enhances their influence, participation and representation across society. This includes women’s engagement in public life, representation in leadership positions, participation in the economy and influence in the family unit.

H E Dr Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, founder and CEO of Medicaid Cancer Foundation and champion, believes, “Ensuring that women have the social and political capital they deserve is an important step towards addressing the social determinants of the women’s gap and improving health outcomes for all women.”

The alliance will continue to work with its champions in the coming year to highlight the various aspects of women’s health that require urgent global attention and promote thought leadership, innovation and policy that adequately and holistically address the women’s gap.

The Forum is uniquely positioned and committed to galvanizing the stakeholders and resources that will be fundamental to advancing women’s outcomes globally.

The Global Alliance for Women’s Health welcomes all passionate and motivated leaders to join our members in this global movement to elevate women’s health to the global agenda and celebrate women and girls to be confident about their future and well-being.