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Prioritizing women's health at every stage of life
In crises women's health is the first to suffer and women are the last to receive support, yet many of the same conditions that endanger pregnant women also leave entire communities vulnerable to disease.
Photo: UNDP Zimbabwe
Women and children are the hardest hit by crises—they account for more than 75 percent of those displaced by conflicts and disasters, and girls are 2.5 times more likely to miss school during conflict than boys. When crises strike—whether war, climate disasters, disease outbreaks or more insidious crises, like discrimination—they are the first to suffer and can be the last to receive support. This sets off a chain reaction: communities unravel, economies weaken and security declines.
So how do we stop this cycle?
The focus of this year’s World Health Day, healthy beginnings, hopeful futures, is a timely reminder that we must prioritize the health of all women at every stage of life, and in every circumstance. The knock-on effects will strengthen not just women’s lives, but the wellbeing of entire societies.
Reaching women in conflict zones
Amid conflict, women are often cut off from the care they need with devastating consequences. In Sudan, shortages of basic medical supplies have resulted in women giving birth in unsanitary conditions, leading to avoidable infections and deaths. Globally, one in two women who die during pregnancy or childbirth live in a conflict zone.
UNDP is working with partners to address maternal and child health in several conflict-affected regions. In Yemen, Sudan, Gaza, and recently, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, UNDP has worked with local and multilateral partners to restore access to maternal care for women and children affected by ongoing conflict and rebuild health systems.
Many of the same conditions that endanger pregnant women also leave entire communities vulnerable to disease. Over 70 percent of epidemic-prone infectious diseases occur in conflict-affected, fragile and vulnerable settings. UNDP works with partners to support health services in these areas. In Haiti and Yemen, UNDP, together with a range of partners, has supported disease surveillance, community mobilization, and WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) interventions for the most impacted communities.
Women’s health remains in jeopardy throughout their lives as has far-reaching consequences. The health and wellbeing of future generations is inextricably linked to women’s health today.
Photo: UNDP Guatemala
Women’s health is a core pillar of resilience
Women are also more vulnerable to the consequences of the climate change. Air pollution puts women at higher risk for breast cancer, asthma and heart disease. Expectant mothers exposed to pollution are also more likely to experience complications like stillbirth, miscarriage and postpartum depression.
Mitigating these effects is critical. In Peru, UNDP is working alongside partners on the ground to provide clean energy entrepreneurship training for women in rural areas. By teaching them to install, operate and commercialize solar panels and improved cookstoves, the programme protects women from air pollution, creates new economic opportunities and provides reliable access to renewable energy.
Climate change is also accelerating biodiversity loss, transforming environments and triggering climate-driven migration, increasing the risk for infectious disease outbreaks and pandemics. When these health crises emerge, they disproportionately harm women, who make up nearly 70 percent of the health workforce. Addressing this growing threat means not only preparing for the next health crisis, but also supporting the women who will inevitably be on the frontlines of the response.
Countering rising discrimination
Crises don’t always come in the form of war, pandemics or natural disasters—sometimes, they unfold more quietly through the rise of discrimination. Across many regions, growing restrictions are making it harder for women to reach health facilities, access maternal and reproductive services, or even leave home without permission.
That is why UNDP focuses on women’s legal protections, economic mobility and access to care. In 2024, UNDP trained law enforcement officers in Kazakhstan to reduce stigma and discrimination against marginalized women, which prevents them from getting care. UNDP is also working with local partners to end discrimination against women in Montenegro by strengthening women's organizations, advocating for policy reform and promoting access to health services.
The future depends on her health
With persistent conflicts and crises and discrimination eroding access to care, women’s health remains in jeopardy throughout their lives. These threats have far-reaching consequences. The health and wellbeing of future generations is inextricably linked to women’s health today. If we are truly committed to leaving no one behind, we must do everything we can to a create world where every woman can thrive and to establish the healthy foundations that lead to more hopeful futures.
