Renewing commitment: investing in women’s health for gender equality

Each year, International Women's Day calls upon us to recommit ourselves to achieving gender equality. This year's theme, "Invest in women: Accelerate progress," underscores the importance of prioritising the health and well-being of women and girls, a cause I wholeheartedly support.

Investing in women's health requires adequate overall investment in healthcare, an area where the Southeast Asia region falls short. With only 2.9% of GDP allocated to healthcare compared to the global average of 4%, out-of-pocket expenditures remain unacceptably high, often leading families to forgo necessary care. This disproportionately affects women, who already bear the burden of caring for sick or elderly family members, limiting their economic and political participation.

While progress has been made in areas such as antenatal care and family planning, inequalities persist based on factors like location, education, and income. Policies must recognise women's autonomy in sexual and reproductive health decisions, and efforts are needed to address gender disparities in noncommunicable disease risk factors. Violence against women remains pervasive, necessitating increased investment in prevention and response efforts.

Gender-responsive health policies can help bridge these gaps, but implementation capacity requires strengthening. As we design priority programmes focusing on women and children, we recognise the multigenerational impact of investing in women's health. Better-informed mothers contribute to healthier communities, passing on knowledge and practices that benefit future generations.

On International Women's Day, I reaffirm my commitment to supporting countries in increasing investment in women's health and accelerating progress towards gender equality.

The writer is the WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia.