Global Women’s Health, Equity & Innovation
Session Overview
Global women’s health is a field defined by its mission to achieve health equity, improve access, and harness innovation to address disparities that disproportionately affect women worldwide. It moves beyond the biology of disease to critically examine the social, economic, and political determinants of health, while leveraging technology and policy to build resilient, woman-centered health systems. This session brings together perspectives from public health, clinical care, technology, and advocacy to explore strategies for reducing maternal morbidity, overcoming systemic barriers, and advancing reproductive justice on a global scale.
Why This Session Matters Now
Persistent inequities in maternal mortality, access to reproductive healthcare, and protection from gender-based violence remain urgent global challenges. Concurrently, the digital revolution and the rise of FemTech present unprecedented opportunities to leapfrog traditional barriers to care through mobile health, telemedicine, and data-driven solutions. This session addresses the critical juncture at which entrenched systemic challenges meet transformative innovation, focusing on scalable, equitable models for delivering comprehensive women’s healthcare across diverse and resource-variable settings.
Key Scientific and Clinical Themes
Maternal Morbidity and Mortality in Global Contexts
Examination of the leading causes of maternal death and severe morbidity worldwide, with a focus on evidence-based, context-specific interventions for prevention, emergency obstetric care, and quality improvement in health systems.
Access, Equity, and Health System Barriers
Analysis of the structural, financial, and geographic barriers that limit women’s access to essential health services, and strategies for designing inclusive, equitable, and culturally competent care pathways.
Digital Health and Technology-Enabled Care
Exploration of how mobile health platforms, telemedicine, and electronic health records can expand reach, improve continuity of care, and empower women in managing their health, particularly in underserved regions.
FemTech and Women-Centered Health Innovation
Review of the burgeoning landscape of technology specifically designed to address women’s health needs, from diagnostic tools and wearable devices to platforms for menstrual health, fertility, and chronic condition management.
Gender-Based Violence and Reproductive Justice
Discussion of the profound health impacts of gender-based violence, the integration of trauma-informed care into health services, and the advancement of policies that uphold bodily autonomy and reproductive rights as foundational to health.
Global Policy, Public Health Programs, and Partnerships
Focus on the role of multilateral organizations, national policies, and cross-sector partnerships in shaping the enabling environment for women’s health, funding critical initiatives, and driving large-scale, sustainable change.
Nature of Research in This Field
Research in global women’s health is inherently applied and interdisciplinary. It encompasses implementation science, health economics, qualitative studies on care experiences, and evaluation of large-scale public health programs. The field prioritizes community-engaged methodologies, mixed-methods research, and the development of metrics that capture not just clinical outcomes, but also equity, access, and quality of life. It operates at the intersection of clinical evidence and real-world feasibility.
Who Should Attend
This session is designed for:
- Public health professionals, epidemiologists, and health policy experts
- Obstetrician-gynecologists and midwives working in global health contexts
- Social entrepreneurs, innovators, and developers in the FemTech/digital health space
- Advocates, NGO leaders, and community health organizers
- Researchers in health systems, implementation science, and health equity
Session Perspective
True progress in women’s health requires looking beyond the clinic to the community and the system. This session provides a platform to connect the macro-level drivers of health inequity with micro-level innovations in care delivery. By critically examining both the barriers and the breakthrough solutions, the discussion aims to foster collaborative, pragmatic, and justice-oriented approaches that translate global commitments into tangible improvements in the health and lives of women everywhere.
If your research aligns with this session, we invite you to submit an abstract for consideration.
