Breaking Barriers to Advance Women’s Care in NCDs

“The world is not on track to achieve gender equality by 2030” states the United Nations (UN) reflecting on the progress made towards its Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5. This conclusion applies equally to health: Women around the world still face significant barriers such as gender bias, lack of research and funding, late diagnosis and limited access to quality care. Challenges such as the under-representation of women in clinical trials create an innovation gap and leave women undertreated.

While women continue to face inequalities, they are underrepresented in decision-making. A focus on women-centered approaches to health is essential, necessitating a deeper understanding of existing gender differences in health and paving the way for more women-specific prevention, diagnosis and treatment strategies. The question arises: How can the fair allocation of resources for women's health be ensured in times of increasing pressure on health budgets?

This Panel Discussion aims to identify effective solutions to break the barriers that lead to gender inequalities in healthcare and to raise awareness among decision-makers. Featuring two keynote speeches and a panel discussion with multidisciplinary experts, the session will present and discuss strategies from various sectors, including policy, academia and industry, and the role of international collaboration in addressing these challenges.

The role of women-centric care in Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) will be a key focus. NCDs affect two out of every three women worldwide, accounting for 19 million deaths each year. According to recent estimates, tackling nine diseases could reduce more than a third of the gender health gap. Ischemic heart disease, cervical cancer, and breast cancer are the top three of them. The audience will receive a holistic view of potential solutions and actions needed to close the gender gap in the field of NCDs – across countries, practices and populations.