The global neglect of women’s health has been highlighted this week by billionaire philanthropist Melinda French Gates, as she announced the launch of a new fund to address health inequities around the world.
The ‘Action for Women’s Health’ fund, launched through her organisation Pivotal Ventures, is set to allocate $250 million in grants to organisations worldwide working to improve women’s mental and physical health. The initiative is specifically seeking out groups that prioritise equity and focus on female-centric health solutions, aiming to address longstanding disparities in women’s healthcare.
Women’s health issues — from maternal care to reproductive health — remain significantly underfunded, under-researched, and largely overlooked in the broader medical landscape. According to the Gates Foundation report, women’s health has been relegated to the sidelines, with funding and innovation disproportionately favouring other areas.
“To fully exercise power over their lives, women need to be mentally and physically healthy. And yet, women’s health is being neglected everywhere,” Melinda told the Guardian this week. “More than 1 billion women and girls suffer from malnutrition. Reproductive healthcare is being denied in the US and other countries. And globally, a woman dies in childbirth every two minutes.”
Melinda warns of a growth in ‘maternity care deserts’, with millions being denied abortions and maternal death rates surging. Women still face barriers to accessing basic care and experience “unacceptable” inequities across all aspects of their health. They spend more years living with ill health in both rich and poor nations, despite major advances in medicine.
RELATED: Announcing our 2025 programme: Accelerating Health Equity for Women, featuring thought leaders International Women’s Day (IWD), British Menopause Society (BMS), and Wellbeing Of Women (WOW).
“It’s clear we need to do a better job of addressing the barriers to women’s health. The good news is that there are so many organisations around the world doing just that. We want to ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve.”
Furthermore, research shows that startups with women founders are still less likely to secure funding, especially when focusing on female-centric health solutions.
According to research by FemHealth Insights, a consultancy firm specialising in women’s health and femtech, female founders of femtech products are also less likely to secure funding if they use advocacy language in their funding applications, such as ‘women’s rights, ‘freedom’ and ‘take control’.
Amidst the challenges, there are glimmers of hope emerging from the medtech space. Women entrepreneurs and founders are working to change the narrative, with innovations that are tailored toward women’s health gaining ground.
Organisations like FemTech Collective and initiatives from the Gates Foundation are working to address funding gaps and increase awareness of the importance of women’s health tech. These efforts are driving much-needed attention to solutions for conditions such as endometriosis, menopause, and maternal health, areas traditionally neglected by mainstream healthcare.
The rise of femtech — technology designed to address women’s health — has the potential to radically transform healthcare. Companies such as Elvie, which developed a silent wearable breast pump, and Natural Cycles, a digital birth control app, are pioneering examples of how innovative solutions can address the unmet needs of women around the world.
These trailblazers are proving that female-led startups can successfully challenge the status quo, providing products that not only meet medical needs but also empower women to take control of their health.
The medtech industry is also beginning to recognise the significant economic potential of investing in women’s health solutions. With half the global population being female, addressing women’s health issues through innovative tech is not just a social imperative — it’s a market opportunity. The success of companies like Elvie demonstrates that there is demand for these products, and that funding women-led initiatives is not only ethical but profitable.
By continuing to invest in women founders, supporting female-driven health solutions, and recognising the value of women’s health innovation, we can pave the way for a healthcare system that truly serves everyone. The momentum is building, and with sustained advocacy and support, the medtech industry can play a pivotal role in bridging the gender gap in healthcare.
“Women are no longer a sideline issue.”
Melinda French Gates in an ITV News interview with Julie Etchingham in 2020.
Learn more about our 2025 programme, Accelerating Health Equity for Women.
