Standing with science for progress and empowerment

Statement by UNFPA Executive Director Ms. Diene Keita on World Health Day

Today, on World Health Day, UNFPA joins the international community in standing with science for a healthier future.

When grounded in evidence, innovation in global health bridges gaps in access and leads to more choices for more people. Science-led innovations have immense potential to improve women's health and build resilient, inclusive societies, especially in the most remote and underserved communities. These innovations are solving real problems for real people.

With innovative mobile diagnostics, health workers can provide a wide range of health services in a single visit. Portable ultrasound devices and cervical cancer screenings are bringing life-saving care to communities that lack access to conventional health services. Digital platforms are delivering confidential, stigma-free information and services to young people and marginalized groups. And innovations in self-care - such as self-administered injectable contraceptives - are empowering women, girls and vulnerable populations with greater bodily autonomy. These are not just conveniences, but essential lifelines.

Science has never held more promise for health - yet too many women are still left behind.

For decades, research has underprioritized women's health: Only 7 per cent of it focuses on conditions exclusively affecting them. And cutting-edge innovations that are women-centric are often too costly or inaccessible.

This neglect is reflected throughout women's lives. Women spend 25 per cent more time in poor health than men, and score worse on nearly every measure of health. Every year, an estimated 260,000 women die from complications in pregnancy and childbirth; nearly all of these deaths are preventable.

The most marginalized women experience the least improvement in health access over time - if any at all. Unaddressed health issues among half the world's population add up quickly, imposing a major drain on societies and economies.

By contrast, closing the women's health gap yields significant benefits. The greater workforce participation, educational achievement and intergenerational gains from bridging this divide could unlock at least $1 trillion annually by 2040.

It's time to turn scientific breakthroughs into better health for all. This means developing supportive regulation and regional manufacturing to boost availability and reduce costs. It also requires investing in strong health systems that can translate innovations into standard practices through efficient supply chains and well-trained workforces. And above all, prioritizing solutions based on what women want and need.

Advancements in technology, including healthcare, have transformed our lives in so many ways. As the world transforms amid demographic shifts and other profound changes, let us renew the call for health and progress for all.

It is time to close the persistent gaps in health, equity and economics that prevent medical innovations from reaching the most vulnerable. A healthier future for all starts with investing in women's and girls' health today.