Multi-generational fees for women's health and gender equality

Photo credits: WHO/WUN/EMILIE MILLS

At the 69th Committee on the Status of Women (CSW69) held on March 10-21, 2025, countries around the world reaffirmed their commitment to gender equality through high-level political declarations. The declaration renewed its global commitment to women's rights, recognised a setback and called for urgent gender-responsive policy action, including protecting the highest standards of physical and mental health that can be most achievable across the life course.

This major moment in advocacy came on March 10th with the official phrasing side event, “There is no gender equality without women's health.”, It is co-hosted by WHO, UK, UK and Northern Ireland, United Mexican States and UN Women and the World Economic Forum. The event portrayed Full House, highlighting a unified call for an evidence-based approach to advance gender inequality, particularly amid the rise in anti-right rhetoric around the world, and addressing the gaps in women's health across the life course, through health.

Calling for a holistic life course approach

The event highlighted that women's health is not a niche concern, but a global issue that must be addressed throughout the life course. Without universal access to integrated care for all women, goals related to the Beijing Platform's important commitment remain out of reach.

Speakers noted that women often live longer than men, but poor health due to systemic barriers and lifelong disadvantages. Investing in women's health is not only important for gender equality, but it can also bring great economic benefits as the national health system can save billions of dollars each year.

Address data gaps

Several speakers at the event highlighted the limited availability, analysis and use of decomposed gender data and gender data continues to hinder progress. The lack of such data contributes to underinvestment and misdiagnosis, especially in conditions that affect women differently or disproportionately, particularly in unrecognized conditions such as endometriosis. Filling this gap and ensuring the inclusion of women in clinical trials can not only improve health outcomes, but also generate significant global economic savings estimated at up to USD 1 trillion per year.

Young people at the forefront of change

Lucy Fagan, a member of the Youth Council, representing the UN major groups for children and youth, provided an important perspective on the role of youth in advancing gender equality and women's health. “The Beijing agenda was created before many of us were born,” she said. “Progress is slowing down, but young people are now part of the conversation, and we're here to move it forward.”

Fagan emphasized that youth-led groups are not only active on earth, but are resilient and continue to drive momentum in issues such as mental health despite sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), gender-based violence (GBV), political pressure and declining funding. Not only did she highlight the need for more data that is broken down by age and gender, she also emphasized that “we are driving from scratch and moving forward.” Lucy's comments reminded us that young people are essential actors in protecting progress from CSW to Beijing +30, and that their voices are especially important in countering the rise in opposition narratives, especially in digital spaces.

We are working towards more cross-synthesis

The panelists highlighted the need for a cross-approach to the overall discrimination faced by marginalized groups, including older women, detained women, women with disabilities, and women living in rural and indigenous communities. It also highlights that women make up a large part of the global health workforce and make up 80% of health decisions at a healthy social level.

Who is CSW69?

Engagement at CSW69 has been extended beyond this flagship event. Other sessions include:

• Closing the gender nutritional gap: Co-hosted by FHI360, a key feminist approach to combating hunger and malnutrition.
• Gender Equality and SRHR digital solutions co-sponsored by Norway, Colombia, UNFPA and WHO/HRP.
• Filling the Dividend: Men and Boys will be co-hosted by Men and Boys as Allies, Menengege Alliance, United Nations Women, Ohchr, UNFPA, Swedish Government, Rwandan Government, Equimundo and others. and
• From potential advancements: A multi-sector approach to empowering youth, co-sponsored by UNICEF, FCDO, Plan International and BRAC.

These events reinforced our commitment to a rights-based evidence-driven agenda for gender equality and women's health. It is clear that CSW69 will be taken home from WHO. Investing in women's health is not an option. Achieving the 2030 Agenda is essential and reflects shared values. In an age of global challenges, it is more urgent than ever to advance gender-responsive health systems and policies that support women's rights. And the voices of young people like Lucy Fagan, based on community action and solidarity, are part of multi-generational accusations, reminding us that there is no gender equality without women's health and well-being.