In a landmark move to address decades of underinvestment in women’s health, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced a $2.5 billion commitment through 2030 to accelerate research and development in health issues that exclusively or disproportionately affect women—particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
The initiative marks the foundation’s largest financial pledge to date in women’s health and aims to reshape the global research landscape by putting women at the center of medical innovation.
“For too long, women’s unique health concerns have been sidelined in research and innovation,” said Dr. Anita Zaidi, President of the Foundation’s Gender Equality Division. “This investment is intended to rewrite that narrative.”
Despite making up half of the world’s population, women receive less than 1% of global health R&D funding for non-cancer conditions that primarily affect them. Conditions such as endometriosis, heavy menstrual bleeding, menopause, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes remain severely under-researched, with limited treatment options and little innovation over the past decades.
“This isn’t just about fairness—it’s about impact,” said Bill Gates, co-chair of the Foundation. “Better women’s health leads to healthier families, stronger communities, and more resilient economies.”
The new funding will prioritise five high-impact domains:
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Obstetric care and maternal immunisation
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Maternal health and nutrition
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Gynaecological and menstrual health
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Contraceptive innovation
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Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
Key areas of innovation include non-hormonal contraceptives, treatments for preeclampsia, and vaginal microbiome research—emerging fields with the potential to significantly improve women’s health outcomes.
While the $2.5 billion pledge is substantial, foundation leaders emphasised that closing the gender health gap will require collective global action. The Gates Foundation is calling on governments, private investors, and philanthropic partners to co-invest and scale innovations.
“This isn’t a one-organization problem,” said Dr. Zaidi. “It’s going to take a global movement. What we’re putting on the table is a signal: women’s health is not only a moral imperative—it’s an investable opportunity.”
Economic data backs that message: research cited by the Foundation shows that every $1 invested in women’s health yields $3 in economic returns, and closing the gender health gap could add $1 trillion to global GDP annually by 2040.
The announcement builds on the Gates Foundation’s 25-year history in maternal and child health and contributes to its broader vision through 2045—to end preventable deaths, eradicate infectious diseases, and support economic mobility in the world’s poorest regions.
It also complements ongoing investments in delivering women’s health services, including access to contraceptives, the HPV vaccine, and neonatal care.
As Zaidi put it, “This is not a side project—it’s a reset. It’s a recognition that women’s health deserves priority, precision, and long-term investment. The future of global health depends on it.”
Article by Jed Mwangi
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