The issue

Despite significant progress, the field of women’s health remains under-researched and underfunded. And the benefits of research and development in women's health are not equitably distributed. For instance, conditions related to reproductive health are leading causes of death and disability among women and girls in developing countries, resulting in economic losses of US$86 billion to US$206 billion annually.

The solution

The WomenX Collective, an innovative programme set to transform the health of every woman and girl, seeks to close health gaps by introducing innovative, women-centric solutions. Through catalytic funding, collaboration and leveraging of technology, the WomenX Collective aims to create scalable models that transform women’s health outcomes. 

“Every minute, at least two women die globally from breast or cervical cancer or from pregnancy-related complications due to inequitable access to health care," says Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA. "Through the WomenX Collective, UNFPA aims to help bring innovative health solutions to underserved communities, closing the health gap for women worldwide.”

New way of doing business

The WomenX Collective is designed to leverage UNFPA’s global footprint and expertise through collaborative and inclusive partnerships with national and international stakeholders, academia, private sector and communities, to close women's health gaps with solutions such as advanced products or process innovations.  

Scale and evidence-driven impact underpin the WomenX Collective approach, offering a complete cycle of women’s health solutions, from concept funding to evidence-driven financing and scale. This approach not only generates knowledge, but also develops replicable models as public goods.

Social, financial and economic return on investment is a driver of the WomenX Collective mission, seeking to augment resources for women’s health and accelerate delivery of UNFPA’s flagship programmes.