UNFPA Introduces Equity 2030 Alliance: Leading the way in gender-inclusive research & design for a more equitable future

NEW YORK, 20 September 2023 – UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, has launched the Equity 2030 Alliance, a pioneering global initiative to achieve gender equity in science, technology and financing by 2030.

In a world propelled by rapid technological progress, where groundbreaking innovations and technological solutions emerge daily, the needs and perspectives of women and girls too often remain overlooked or relegated to an afterthought. This stark gender imbalance persists in both research and design processes and in the prioritization of investment by companies in developing products.

Although women drive progress, peace and development, the world continues to fail them when it comes to their safety, health and wellbeing. The effects of a world designed for men on women range from inconvenient to damaging:

• Excluding cancer research, just 1 per cent of our global expenditure on health research and development funding goes to women-centric solutions, and even less goes to addressing issues of sexual and reproductive health and rights. 
• Women are three times more likely to be injured in a car collision, because safety features on commercial vehicles are typically based on male crash test dummies. 
• Over 80 per cent of personal protective equipment do not fit female health-care workers as they are designed with the male physique in mind. 
• Women are the recipients of a mere 12 per cent of all artificial heart implants globally – simply because they are not designed to fit in female chests.

“Women walk through a world that was not built for them,” said UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem. “Yet we can redesign the world. We can resolve this challenge if we unite and commit to equity by design, whether in tech, science or finance. The impact will last for generations to come.”

Convened by UNFPA and co-championed by the governments of Ghana and Norway, the Alliance – which boasts 30 members at its launch including household names such as Bayer, Organon,  Salesforce, HP and The Gendered Innovation Lab at Stanford University – draws leaders from diverse sectors,  including business, academia and government, to address these disparities head-on and envision a future where research and design processes are inclusive, representative and responsive to the needs of all individuals.

By fostering collaboration between members, advocating for equitable investment, and championing gender-inclusive approaches to technology and design, the Equity 2030 Alliance is poised to transform the global design landscape to meet the needs of women and girls globally – and ultimately, contribute to the betterment of communities everywhere.

Women’s underrepresentation in research and design processes across various industries is a stark reality with vast, largely unknown consequences to global health and international development. This exclusion not only hampers progress, but represents a missed opportunity: Investment in women’s health research is proven to generate a 1:40 return. Women drive the world economy and globally control about $20 trillion in annual consumer spending, and that figure could climb as high as $28 trillion in the next five years.

Speaking at the launch event in New York, UNFPA Chief of Innovation Nigina Muntean said, “Our efforts to survey the landscape to understand what resources are available to build in more women-centric solutions show that gendered data, metrics or even inclusive language in the corporate, academic or governance world barely exist. The launch of this Alliance seeks to usher in a new era where women, girls, and their unique needs are not only considered but embraced as integral components of innovation and technological advancement. We welcome new partners and urge them to join us in this important movement.”

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Media contact: Zina Alam; zialam@unfpa.org

About UNFPA:
UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. UNFPA's mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA calls for the realization of reproductive rights for all and supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services, including voluntary family planning, quality maternal health care, and comprehensive sexuality education.