Empowered Care: Advancing Women’s Health for a Stronger Future

Every day, millions of women face health challenges that are often overlooked or dismissed. From chronic pain to reproductive health issues, these concerns are commonly under-researched and misdiagnosed. This disparity, known as the gender health gap, not only shortens lives but also incurs enormous costs globally. Research from the World Economic Forum indicates that improving women's healthcare could add at least $1 trillion annually to the global economy by 2040. Women's health encompasses a broad range of issues, including reproductive rights, mental health, access to services, and the stigma surrounding care. The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that sociocultural factors often place women and girls at a disadvantage, leading to increased vulnerability to various health issues. Despite advancements, disparities persist, affecting women’s quality of life and longevity. Enhancing women's healthcare is essential not only for individual well-being but also for promoting societal well-being, reducing gender disparities, and fostering economic growth. 

Improving women’s healthcare directly enhances societal well-being by reducing maternal mortality, increasing autonomy, and supporting healthier families and communities. Access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare empowers women to make informed decisions, which leads to better health outcomes. Services such as contraception and safe childbirth reduce maternal mortality and ensure healthier pregnancies. According to the WHO, approximately 260,000 women died during and following pregnancy and childbirth in 2023, with about 92% of these deaths occurred in low- and lower-middle-income countries—most of which could have been prevented (“Maternal Mortality”). Ensuring access to contraception allows women to plan pregnancies and reduce complications. The WHO notes that accessible contraceptive options protect individuals’ bodily autonomy and reproductive rights (“Family Planning and Contraception”). Countries like Sweden, which dramatically reduced maternal mortality through the use of trained midwives, demonstrate the power of reproductive services to improve national health outcomes (Lovin). Ultimately, prioritizing reproductive services improves individual autonomy while uplifting the health of entire communities. 

Equitable healthcare funding and attention to women's health are also critical for reducing gender disparities that have historically undermined women's health outcomes. For decades, women's health concerns have been chronically underfunded and under-researched. Despite comprising half the population, women's health accounts for just 4% of global research and development funding (Oliver Wyman). This has led to significant gaps in diagnosis, treatment, and access to care. Furthermore, women in the United States pay approximately $15 billion more annually in out-of-pocket healthcare costs than men (Deloitte). These disparities are not solely tied to reproductive care but are also the result of systemic biases in care delivery and insurance coverage. Equitable healthcare policies, such as Title X in the U.S., have helped mitigate some of these disparities. In 2018 alone, Title X served over five million individuals, 70% of whom lived below the poverty line and lacked insurance (Fowler et al.). Similarly, Ireland’s free contraception scheme, launched in 2022 and now expanding to cover women up to age 36, demonstrates the global potential of gender-equitable policies (Donnelly). Addressing these systemic disparities is essential not just for fairness, but for achieving long-overdue gender parity in healthcare access and outcomes.

Finally, investing in women’s health fosters economic growth by enabling women to participate more fully and productively in the workforce. Healthier women are more likely to pursue education, remain employed, and contribute to their communities. According to McKinsey & Company, closing the gender health gap could add at least $1 trillion annually to the global economy by 2040 (“Closing the Women’s Health Gap”). Studies show that every $1 invested in women's health yields up to $3 in economic return, due to gains in productivity and reduced healthcare costs (“Investing in the Health of Girls and Women”). In addition to workforce participation, improving women’s health reduces the societal burden of illness, including costs related to absenteeism, early retirement, and chronic disease. Thus, investing in women’s health is not merely a moral obligation; it is a sound economic strategy that pays dividends for nations worldwide. 

Critics may argue that prioritizing women's health diverts resources from other critical sectors like education or infrastructure. However, this view neglects the interconnectedness of health with all areas of society. When women are healthy, their families, communities, and economies thrive. Evidence supports the idea that improving women’s health has ripple effects across all sectors, including improving educational outcomes for children, reducing national healthcare costs, and increasing household income. Studies link girls’ education, which is often enabled by better healthcare and family planning, to lower maternal and child mortality, delayed childbearing, and improved educational outcomes (“The Effect of Girls' Education on Health Outcomes: Fact Sheet”). Systemic reviews have further confirmed that healthier women promote more productive and better-educated societies over generations (“Economic Benefits of Investing in Women's Health: A Systematic Review”). Far from diverting resources, women's health investments amplify the effectiveness of other social programs. 

In conclusion, enhancing women’s health through access to reproductive services, equitable funding, and supportive policies is crucial not only for women but for society as a whole. Prioritizing women's health promotes societal well-being, reduces entrenched gender disparities, and drives economic growth. The global evidence is clear: when women are healthy, entire nations prosper. By committing to health equity and investing in women, we invest in a stronger, fairer, and more prosperous future for everyone.

Works Cited

Deloitte. “Women Are Delaying Their Medical Treatments—and Paying with Their Lives.” Vogue, 27 Apr. 2023, https://www.vogue.com/article/women-are-delaying-their-medical-treatments-and-paying-with-their-lives. 

Donnelly, Stephen. “Minister for Health Announces That Free Contraception Is Now Available for 17–31 Year-Olds.” Department of Health, Government of Ireland, https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/press-releases/minister-for-health-announces-that-free-contraception-is-now-available-for-17-31-year-olds/. 

Ellingrud, Kweilin, et al. “Closing the Women’s Health Gap: A $1 Trillion Opportunity to Improve Lives and Economies.” McKinsey & Company, 17 Jan. 2024, https://www.mckinsey.com/mhi/our-insights/closing-the-womens-health-gap-a-1-trillion-dollar-opportunity-to-improve-lives-and-economies. 

Fowler, David, et al. “Family Planning Annual Report: 2018 National Summary.” Office of Population Affairs, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, https://opa.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/2020-07/title-x-fpar-2018-national-summary.pdf. 

Lovin, Isabella. “Access to the Life-Saving Services of a Midwife Is a Gender Rights Issue.” The Guardian, 5 May 2016,  https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2016/may/05/life-saving-services-midwif-gender-rights-reproductive-health-isabella-lovin-sweden. 

McKinsey & Company. “Better Women's Health Could Add $1 Trillion to the Global Economy.” .McKinsey & Company, .https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/themes/better-women-health-could-add-%241-trillion-to-the-global-economy. 

Oliver Wyman. “Hiding in Plain Sight: The Health Care Gender Toll.” Deloitte, https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/life-sciences-health-care/us-lshc-health-gender-gap.pdf. 

Onarheim, Kristine Husøy, et al. “Economic Benefits of Investing in Women’s Health: A Systematic Review.” PLoS One, vol. 11, no. 3, 30 Mar. 2016, e0150120, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27028199/. 

Population Reference Bureau. The Effect of Girls’ Education on Health Outcomes: Fact Sheet. 2011, https://www.prb.org/resources/the-effect-of-girls-education-on-health-outcomes-fact-sheet.

World Economic Forum. “Closing the Women’s Health Gap: A $1 Trillion Opportunity to Improve Lives and Economies.” World Economic Forum, 17 Jan. 2024,.https://www.weforum.org/publications/closing-the-women-s-health-gap-a-1-trillion-opportunity-to-improve-lives-and-economies/.World Economic Forum 

World Health Organization. “Maternal Mortality.” World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/maternal-mortality. 

World Health Organization. “Family Planning and Contraception.” World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/family-planning-contraception.