A Blueprint to Close the Gender Health Divide by 2030

Women tend to outlive men. This is a phenomenon prevalent across the globe. However, it is also seen that women endure ill health far more than men during the course of their lives. The focus of recent medical research and a highlight of the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos is a grim fact that will affect individuals, communities and the economy.

Participants at the Davos women’s health session pointed out that women live on average about 25 percent longer than men but, unfortunately, they face additional health-related problems for a 25 percent longer period. Some of the contributing factors include late diagnosis, limited availability of the right treatments and ingrained prejudices in medical research and health care systems towards ​‍​‌‍​‍‌women.

Such​‍​‌‍​‍‌ inequality, which is often called the gender health gap, is not just a public health problem but also an economic and social challenge. Lack of research and innovation focusing on women has been associated with the increase in preventable morbidity and mortality and a significant loss of global productivity and economic potential, estimated at around $1 trillion per year if the gap is left untreated.

Experts say that to close the gap by 2030, it is necessary to change the way not only innovations are developed but also how they are delivered, financed, and used by women around the ​‍​‌‍​‍‌world.

Understanding the Gender Health Gap: Why It Persists

One​‍​‌‍​‍‌ way to fully understand the gender health gap is to study both maternity of the gap and its aftermath. Various studies reveal women generally live longer but suffer more years of ill health, disability, or chronic conditions than men. This paradox is the result of a mix of biological, societal, and structural ​‍​‌‍​‍‌factors.

One​‍​‌‍​‍‌ of the root problems is the underrepresentation of women in medical research.

In the past, clinical trials and biomedical studies mostly focused on male physiology, so the diagnosis and treatment protocols might not necessarily fit women’s biological situations. The lack of data also applies to new technology, for instance, about 70 percent of global health data does not adequately represent women, and this can lead to AI models that are biased when diagnosing and treating ​‍​‌‍​‍‌diseases.

​‍​‌‍​‍‌It may seem paradoxical but women are in fact often the victims of delayed diagnostic of serious diseases. In the case of heart disease, autoimmune disorders and even some cancers, symptoms in women can differ from those in men, and therefore recognition of the diseases and getting treatment early may be quite challenging unless the healthcare systems are equipped to these gender differences.

The economic consequences of such disparities are enormous. It has been estimated that eliminating the gender health gap would significantly increase the world economy output by billions or even trillions of dollars through greater workforce participation, lower healthcare costs and better quality of life for women on a massive scale. ​‍​‌‍​‍‌

Yet​‍​‌‍​‍‌ the current investment landscape continues to reflect such shortage: recent studies reveal that only about 6 per cent of private healthcare funds are allocated to women’s health, and most of these are going to the standard areas such as reproductive health and maternal care, which means that many other, more impactful conditions are still severely lacking in ​‍​‌‍​‍‌funding.

From Innovation to Impact: What’s Needed to Make Change Real

At​‍​‌‍​‍‌ the Davos session, titled “Breakthroughs in Women’s Health”, global health leaders pointed out that innovation is still only one part of the solution. What's really important is whether these new technologies are able to be used by women all over the world - used, accessible, and affordable.

Gargee Ghosh Chasin, President of Global Policy and Advocacy at the Gates Foundation, pointed out that the major breakthroughs, like the HPV vaccine for cervical cancer, AI-based tools to detect high-risk pregnancies earlier, and microarray contraceptive patches, will only be living up to their promise if they are widely scaled and used, not just invented. ​‍​‌‍​‍‌

Concentrating​‍​‌‍​‍‌ on implementation in this way entails removing obstacles at all levels: enabling community health workers to provide screening and follow-up care, helping low-income women with their expenses, and adapting the technologies to local circumstances. According to the experts, a lack of sufficient sustainable financing and delivery infrastructure is the main reason why even the most innovative tools have not yet been able to get to the people in greatest need.

Gavi-The Vaccine Alliance's CEO Sania Nishtar, emphasized the necessity of converting scientifically proven facts into health policies and then implementing them on a large scale and effectively in the healthcare sector. This, she argued, is accomplished through collaboration across sectors, long-term planning, and investment commitments from governments, international agencies, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. ​‍​‌‍​‍‌

Primary​‍​‌‍​‍‌ healthcare systems, especially at the community level, are extremely important in this delivery ecosystem. Nadia Calviño, President of the European Investment Bank, stated that primary health is the basis of a healthy society, and that at the level of primary health services, women should get preventive care before their conditions become so severe that expensive, reactive interventions are needed.

Artificial intelligence and digital tools provide great potential for decreasing the time it takes to diagnose, tailoring each patient’s treatment plan, and bringing healthcare to remote areas. However, such technologies will only be able to deliver their benefits if they are developed from inclusive data sets and fairly integrated into the health systems, an issue which leaders in the healthcare field are becoming more and more aware of and are taking action to ​‍​‌‍​‍‌address.

A Collective Path Forward: Inclusive Health for All

Women’s​‍​‌‍​‍‌ health equity by 2030 should be a key part of our moral values and a practical target. It requires comprehensive solutions that will go through the different dimensions of research funding, policy action, systems strengthening, community engagement, and technological ​‍​‌‍​‍‌innovation.

Investing​‍​‌‍​‍‌ in women’s health is more than just treating diseases. It entails providing women with the means to improve their health, thus leading to higher productivity and the opportunity to fully engage in their communities. Such involvement inevitably results in a contribution to the sustainable economic growth of the societies. It is a collective task to close the gender health gap through various ways such as raising the standard of maternal care, managing chronic diseases effectively, facilitating access to preventative services, or making innovation pipelines ​‍​‌‍​‍‌inclusive.

As​‍​‌‍​‍‌ leaders and stakeholders keep talking at the Davos forum and other places, the question still sticks: how to convert knowledge into action, and action into real measurable impact?

With dedicated focus and wise investments, one can dream of a situation where women do not simply survive longer but lead healthier lives, thus bridging the gender health gap and opening up new avenues for global health and wealth. ​‍​‌‍​‍‌