Investing in progress by investing in women

Each year we recognize International Women’s Day alongside the global health community. This year’s theme, “Invest in women: Accelerate progress” focuses on the urgent need to achieve gender equality worldwide, make progress toward ending poverty, and ensure a healthy planet for future generations — all critical to improving women’s health and wellbeing across the life course.

Progress is occurring. For most women across the globe, health outcomes are improving. For example, maternal mortality decreased from 339 to 223 deaths per 100,000 live births between 2000 and 2020 internationally. Adolescent fertility rates are historically low, access to health care services and innovations is on the rise worldwide, and more girls are attending school than ever before.

But we also know that challenges persist across many aspects of women’s health and wellbeing. About 15 million more women worldwide live on less than US$1.90 a day compared to men. Women are also more likely to experience food insecurity. The global pay gap in the health sector and beyond holds women back from both an individual and societal perspective. As a result, women as individuals are less likely to realize their full potential, and these stressors have a substantial effect on a society’s long-term health, wealth, and that of future generations.

Investing in women is inherently the right thing to do, but it also has the great knock-on effect of accelerating broader progress. In a recent Exemplars News article, Dr. Kehinde Ajayi from the Center for Global Development noted the shift, “What’s really exciting now is how low- and middle-income countries are broadening their investments in adolescent girls beyond keeping them in school. They are thinking more intentionally about the things that improve women’s health and wellbeing.” I am glad we added Women's Health and Wellbeing as a topic of research to the EGH program last year.

As we close out the month, we recognize the significant investments required to improve women’s health and wellbeing. We also look forward to the results: healthier, more productive, and better educated societies. Many thanks to the Exemplars in Global Health program and our partners for driving forward lessons learned from successes worldwide towards a more equitable world.

The Hospital for Sick Children United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) The George Washington University- Milken Institute School of Public Health Universidade Federal de Pelotas