I am honoured to be a Champion of the Global Alliance for Women’s Health, hosted at the World Economic Forum and supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, as the Annual Meeting of the Champions convened during the World Economic Forum Sustainable Development Impact Meetings 2024, on the margins of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week and New York Climate Week.

There is substantial evidence that investing in women’s health, such as family planning and maternal, newborn, and child health, leads to a range of better outcomes for universal healthcare coverage, and global prosperity. Yet, women’s health continues to be undervalued and deprioritised around the world. On average, women spend nine years in poor health, significantly impacting their productivity and wellbeing. The Global Alliance for Women’s Health is the first trusted global, multi-sector platform for the health of women, building on a global movement on the undeniable evidence that investing in women’s health is the best investment to make for societies and economies, and closing this gap has the potential to unlock significant economic gains, with projections suggesting an annual boost to the global economy of at least $1 trillion by 2040.

A tremendous opportunity to mobilise multi-stakeholder commitments towards closing the women’s health gap, I look forward to continuing the Wellbeing Foundation Africa mission to drive progress, identify and target key priorities, and transform policy and advocacy needs, in partnership with the World Economic Forum, as together we highlight the the transformative role and multiplier effect of healthy women within families and communities.