Improving Healthcare Access

The Humanitarian Gender Analysis (HGA) Tool provides a flexible framework for collecting qualitative, community-centered data in humanitarian contexts. It offers sector-specific questions that can be tailored to different crises and project stages. The tool ensures inclusivity by addressing the experiences of diverse genders and marginalized groups. Understanding gender in humanitarian situations helps identify barriers to access, power dynamics, and vulnerabilities, ensuring equitable aid distribution and fostering resilience among affected populations.

MBA is more than just classroom learning—it’s about stepping out, engaging with communities, and understanding real-world challenges. As part of our CSR & Sustainability project, my team and I visited Makrola village, Haryana, to study gender hygiene and menstrual health. We conducted on-ground surveys, held discussions with the community, and analyzed key challenges to get a deeper understanding of the situation. To ensure an open and respectful dialogue, we designed an easy-to-understand yet comprehensive questionnaire, making sure respondents felt comfortable and heard. Based on our findings, we collated a detailed report highlighting critical gaps and actionable recommendations, which we have now shared with the Gram Panchayat to help drive real change. Key Findings: 🔹 65% of women still rely on cloth instead of sanitary pads, often stored in unhygienic conditions. 🔹 78% of respondents had never discussed menstrual health openly, even within their families. 🔹 Only 32% knew about PCOS/PCOD, exposing a critical awareness gap. 🔹 12 out of 23 respondents reported that public toilets were either unavailable or unhygienic, making hygiene a daily challenge. 🔹 60%+ of women travel 10+ km for basic gynecological care. 🔹 Low-quality sanitary pads distributed in schools have led to infections, yet concerns remain unaddressed. 🔹 Men’s awareness is minimal—hygiene is still seen as a "women’s issue," reinforcing stigma. Our Recommendations (Shared with the Gram Panchayat): ✔️ Community awareness programs—involving men and women to normalize menstrual health discussions. ✔️ Improved sanitation infrastructure—well-maintained public toilets and disposal facilities. ✔️ Access to quality hygiene products—affordable and sustainable menstrual health solutions. ✔️ Strengthening healthcare access—local health camps and gynecological support centers. This visit reinforced that real impact isn’t just about research—it’s about taking action. Small efforts can create big change, and we hope our recommendations will help improve gender hygiene practices in the village.

What if the key to closing healthcare's gender gap isn't in hospitals, but in our smartphones? A groundbreaking review of 80 studies reveals that digital health technologies aren't just changing how women access care—they're fundamentally reshaping women's autonomy and decision-making power in healthcare. The evidence is undeniable: when we put digital health tools in women's hands, we're not just improving health outcomes—we're catalyzing a revolution in gender equality that extends far beyond the clinic walls. 🔬 Science-backed empowerment: DHTs demonstrate measurable improvements across gynecology, psychiatry, oncology, and maternal health ⚖️ Access becomes agency: Digital tools transform women from passive patients to informed decision-makers with enhanced autonomy 🌐 Global reach, local impact: Technology bridges geographical barriers while respecting cultural contexts and individual needs 🛡️ Privacy as power: Secure, confidential digital spaces enable women to seek care and information without fear or judgment But here's the uncomfortable truth: Are we building digital solutions that actually reach the women who need them most? The same research exposes a harsh reality—financial barriers, digital literacy gaps, and infrastructure limitations create a digital divide that mirrors existing healthcare inequities. The most sophisticated app means nothing if women can't afford the data plan to use it. The companies that will lead tomorrow's healthcare revolution won't just build better technology—they'll build more accessible technology. Source: Transforming women's health, empowerment, and gender equality with digital health: evidence-based policy and practice; Borges do Nascimento, Israel Júnior et al.; The Lancet Digital Health

Gender is a fundamental social determinant that shapes health systems, influencing access, decision-making, and resource allocation. However, global health research has historically overlooked gender dynamics, leading to gaps in policy and practice. This document provides a structured approach to gender analysis, equipping researchers with tools to examine how gender power relations affect health outcomes. By integrating sex-disaggregated data, gender frameworks, and analytical questions, it ensures that research captures the full spectrum of inequalities, offering deeper insights into how gender intersects with factors like class, ethnicity, and disability. The document highlights practical applications of gender analysis, addressing key areas such as health workforce disparities, gendered labor divisions, and policy gaps. It explores how gendered norms influence healthcare roles, why women remain overrepresented in lower-paid positions, and how systemic barriers limit their leadership opportunities. It also emphasizes the role of data collection, stressing the importance of who collects and analyzes data, when and where it is gathered, and how biases influence findings. This structured approach helps ensure research findings translate into evidence-based policies that drive gender-equitable health reforms. For M&E professionals and humanitarian researchers, this guide is an indispensable tool for strengthening gender-responsive programming. It underscores the ethical responsibility of research to do no gender harm while also advocating for transformative approaches that challenge harmful norms. Whether conducting health system assessments, designing interventions, or shaping policy recommendations, the insights provided empower practitioners to integrate gender as a core analytical lens, leading to more effective, inclusive, and impactful research.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧. 𝐈𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐮𝐩? 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝟐𝟓% 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐦𝐞𝐧. That’s not just a biological inevitability, but a systemic failure. And it’s not just costing women their quality of life. It’s costing the global economy up to $1 trillion every year according to a new report from the World Economic Forum and McKinsey. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐠𝐚𝐩. Just nine conditions (ranging from ischemic heart disease and breast cancer to menopause, PMS, and endometriosis) account for over a third of the burden. 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝: ✅ 𝐀𝐝𝐝 75 million healthy life years annually ✅ 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐞 $400 billion to global GDP by 2040 from these conditions alone ✅ 𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤 a further $500 billion in market opportunity for new tools, therapies, and services 𝐒𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐤? The problem isn’t just a lack of solutions, but that the system was never built with women in mind. The report highlights five key pillars that need urgent attention: ✴️ 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 women properly in clinical and health data ✴️ 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 women with focused research and sex-disaggregated analysis ✴️ 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 for women with evidence-based, gender-responsive medical practice ✴️ 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞 all women by addressing disparities across race, income, and geography ✴️ 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭 in women across health, education, policy, and leadership 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐫𝐞. While diseases like breast cancer are better funded and studied (though still with major gaps), areas like PMS, menopause, and endometriosis remain deeply under-researched and under-treated. Despite affecting hundreds of millions of women. ❌ 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. From funding sex-specific basic science to expanding access to essential medicines and redesigning clinical education, it provides a blueprint for progress. It’s also a wake-up call. 𝐀𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐈 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐞, 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. It’s baffling when you think about it. These are not rare diseases or fringe issues. What we’re missing isn’t evidence. It’s prioritisation, investment, and leadership willing to treat women’s health as the global growth strategy it truly is. https://lnkd.in/e-FEKUap

"Uncover the Unseen: How Gender Data Gaps Render Women Invisible" In "Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men," Caroline Criado Perez meticulously unveils the pervasive gender data gap that affects women across all spheres of life. This groundbreaking book reveals how the absence of gender-specific data leads to systemic biases and disadvantages for women. From healthcare and urban planning to workplace policies and technological advancements, Criado Perez demonstrates how a male-centric data approach fails to address women's unique needs and experiences, thereby rendering them invisible. How to Fulfill the Gender Data Gap: 1. Inclusive Data Collection:   - Ensure that data collection methods are designed to include gender-specific information.   - Implement mandatory gender disaggregation in all data reporting to reflect the experiences of both men and women. 2. Diverse Clinical Trials:   - Mandate the inclusion of women in clinical trials and medical research to better understand gender differences in health and treatment responses.   - Develop gender-specific medical guidelines and protocols based on comprehensive research. 3. Gender-Sensitive Urban Planning:   - Design public transportation and infrastructure projects that consider the travel patterns and safety concerns of women.   - Conduct gender impact assessments for all urban development plans. 4. Workplace Equity:   - Create workplace policies that recognize and accommodate the different needs of men and women, such as flexible working hours and parental leave.   - Address gender pay gaps by ensuring transparency and equity in compensation and career advancement opportunities. 5. Tech and Innovation:   - Develop technology products with input from diverse user groups, including women, to ensure usability and accessibility.   - Conduct user testing with a balanced representation of genders to identify and rectify biases in technological solutions. Call to Action: Join the movement to bridge the gender data gap and make women's experiences visible. Read "Invisible Women" by Caroline Criado Perez to understand the depth of these issues and the critical need for change. Advocate for inclusive data collection, equitable policies, and gender-sensitive designs in your community and workplace. Let's work together to ensure that women are seen, heard, and valued in every facet of life. Your voice and actions can help build a more inclusive world. #UncoverTheUnseen #GenderDataGap #InvisibleWomen By addressing these gaps, we can create a more inclusive and equitable world where women's contributions are recognized, and their needs are met. Reading "Invisible Women" is a crucial step in understanding the depth of these issues and the urgent need for change. HLL LIFECARE LIMITED Steel Authority of India Limited University of Rajasthan The Institute Of Cost Accountants Of India Indian Institute for Human Settlements CMA. Deepak Narayanan

State of Women's Health by Accenture and Springboard Enterprises ➡️ Core Challenges - Underfunded: Less investment in research and innovation for women’s health. - Under-researched: Disproportionate focus on male or gender-neutral studies. - Misunderstood: Persistent gaps in understanding and bias in healthcare. ➡️ Health Journey and Barriers - Pre-Diagnosis: Women have unique biological and hormonal susceptibilities, but awareness gaps and evolving risk profiles often delay seeking care. - Diagnosis: Symptom differences, lack of sex-specific diagnostic tools, and gender bias in medical education and practice lead to delayed or missed diagnoses. - Post-Diagnosis: Women face barriers such as lack of sex-specific dosing, unequal access to optimal treatments, and challenges in medication adherence, resulting in worse health outcomes. ➡️ Condition Spotlights - Cardiovascular Disease: Leading cause of death in women globally, but research and treatment are skewed toward male biology, leading to misdiagnosis and worse outcomes. - Autoimmune Disorders: 78% of autoimmune patients are women; these conditions are under-researched and often misdiagnosed due to symptom complexity and lack of sex-specific data. ➡️ Data and Representation Gaps - Clinical Trials: Women are under-represented, even in conditions that predominantly or differently affect them, limiting understanding of sex-based differences. - Data Standards: Lack of sex-specific data analysis and reporting, especially in genetic and large-scale studies. ➡️ Investment and Innovation - Funding: Investment in women’s health is growing but remains insufficient compared to general health funding. - Innovation: Emerging technologies (AI, big data, biosensors) and specialized care models are addressing gaps and improving outcomes for women. ➡️ Call to Action - Mindset Shift: Raise awareness of biases and educate on women’s unique health needs. - Education: Reform medical curricula to include sex-based biology and gendered symptoms. - Data: Mandate equal sex representation in clinical trials and implement sex-based data standards. - Precision: Revise diagnostic tools and dosing protocols for sex-specific thresholds. - Funding: Double investment in women’s health research and innovation. ➡️ Innovators and Change-makers Visana Health: Virtual clinic providing comprehensive, personalized care for women at all life stages. Herself Health: Specialized primary care for older women, addressing misdiagnosis and holistic needs. juli: AI-powered platform for managing chronic conditions by consolidating health data. Dandelion Health: AI tools to reduce bias in healthcare data and improve research on women’s health. Persperity Health: Non-invasive biosensors for continuous hormone monitoring. Accenture Clinical Trial Companion: AI agent to improve trial retention and data quality for women.

🇪🇹 During my trip to Ethiopia I experienced ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute) and was reminded of how research and innovation are actively shaping a more inclusive and sustainable future for women in agriculture. Agriculture is more than just food production—it’s a powerful driver of economic stability, food security, and community development. Yet, women, who make up a significant portion of the agricultural workforce, continue to face barriers to land ownership, financial resources, and equitable opportunities. 🔎 Why does this matter? Well reading a little more about this some interesting insights are: ✔️ Women are essential to food production, yet only 23% of African women have access to credit and 15% own land. ✔️ Two-thirds of rural livestock keepers are women, making livestock a key pathway to financial independence and community resilience. ✔️ ILRI and CGIAR are advancing gender-focused agricultural research, ensuring that women not only participate in but lead the transformation of food systems. 💡 Livestock as a Catalyst for Empowerment: For many women, owning livestock means access to financial security, the ability to provide for their families, and a role in shaping sustainable agricultural practices. By investing in gender-equitable policies and research, we strengthen global food security and create more resilient agricultural systems. ✨Amplifying insights like this is important for driving forward conversations that spark change. ➡️ What are your thoughts on furthering support and empowerment for women in agriculture? ✔️Let’s discuss! #Ngisamila #WomenInAgriculture #FoodSecurity #SustainableFarming #ClimateAdaptation #ILRI #GenderEquality #LivestockForTheFuture #GlobalImpact

Did you know there’s five times more research into erectile dysfunction—which affects 19% of men—than into premenstrual syndrome (PMS), which impacts up to 90% of women? While women make up half of the world’s population, health conditions that disproportionately affect women remain severely underfunded and under-researched. However, the tide is turning. More leaders, organisations, and communities are recognising that women’s health is a global priority with transformative potential. Progress is happening, and it’s worth celebrating: In Nigeria, advocacy efforts are gaining momentum, pushing for greater female representation at all levels of decision-making. Conditions like fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and endometriosis—long overlooked—are now receiving more visibility, with increased calls for research and better treatment options. Meanwhile, innovations in AI and medical technology are unlocking new possibilities for personalised healthcare solutions tailored to women’s needs. Yet, despite these advances, historical inequities in clinical trials and funding continue to hinder progress. Closing this gap in Nigeria requires recognising the immense value of research and investing in studies that prioritise women’s health. It means fostering collaboration between health institutions to develop better treatments, while also amplifying the voices of women in healthcare leadership to ensure decision-making reflects real needs. By funding research, fostering collaboration between health institutions, and amplifying women’s voices in the healthcare sector, we can take meaningful steps to address the gender health gap and ensure better outcomes for generations to come! #GenderHealthGap #WomensHealth #InvestInWomen #EquityInHealthcare

Women, Mental Health, and the Promise of Digital Innovation Each year in October, we recognize World Mental Health Day—dedicated to breaking stigma, sparking dialogue, and advancing solutions that prioritize mental well-being. But for women, the conversation takes on an even deeper meaning. Women experience higher rates of anxiety, depression, and trauma-related conditions than men. These mental health disparities are not the result of biology alone—social, cultural, and economic pressures and life-stage transitions, bring unique emotional and psychological demands. Despite this heightened need, women continue to face significant barriers in accessing mental health support. Traditional care often means long wait times, high costs, or limited availability of culturally competent providers. But, digital health innovation is rewriting the story and transforming mental health support from something hard to access into something personalized, immediate, and stigma-free. Rewire DTx is a powerful example of this progress. As a digital therapeutic platform, Rewire DTx leverages clinically validated cognitive behavioral strategies and personalized interventions to help individuals manage depression, comorbid stress, anxiety and other mood disorders. Its model removes barriers by delivering discreet, accessible, and effective care directly to users’ devices. For women balancing multiple life demands, this kind of flexible solution can be life-changing. Similarly, Birthvue is innovating maternal mental health by providing education for women throughout pregnancy. Beyond the physical realities of maternal care, Birthvue acknowledges the immense emotional toll of these transitions. By providing real-time support, education, and emotional health resources, the platform helps women feel less isolated, more empowered, and better prepared to navigate the challenges of motherhood. Innovation with Impact: What makes these technologies so promising is not only their accessibility but also their potential to scale globally. With digital platforms, care is no longer constrained by geography. Through the Women’s Health Tech Initiative, we support the entrepreneurs and innovators designing solutions that prioritize women’s needs, integrating mental health into broader health journeys rather than treating it as an afterthought. This holistic approach is long overdue—and digital health is making it possible. A Call to Action: It’s not enough to simply raise awareness. We must invest in, support, and scale solutions that address the unique mental health challenges women face. Mental health is health. For women, ensuring accessible, stigma-free, and effective support is not just an aspiration—it’s a necessity. With digital health at the forefront, we have the opportunity to close gaps, reduce inequities, and empower women to take control of their well-being.