Gates Foundation Unveils US$2.5 Billion Initiative for Women-Led Research and Solutions
The Gates Foundation announced a US$2.5 billion commitment through 2030 to accelerate research and development (R&D) focused exclusively on women's health.
It will support the advancement of more than 40 innovations in five critical, chronically underfunded areas—particularly those affecting women in low- and middle-income countries.
"For too long, women have suffered from health conditions that are misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or ignored," said Dr. Anita Zaidi, President, Gates Foundation's Gender Equality Division. "We want this investment to spark a new era of women-centered innovation—one where women's lives, bodies, and voices are prioritized in health R&D."
"Investing in women's health has a lasting impact across generations. It leads to healthier families, stronger economies, and a more just world," said Bill Gates, Chair, Gates Foundation. "Yet women's health continues to be ignored, underfunded, and sidelined. Too many women still die from preventable causes or live in poor health. That must change. But we can't do it alone."
To close persistent gaps in funding and research, the foundation is urging governments, philanthropists, investors, and the private sector to co-invest in women's health innovations, help shape product development, and ensure access to treatments for the women and girls who need them most.
"This is the largest investment we've ever made in women's health research and development, but it still falls far short of what is needed in a neglected and underfunded area of huge human need and opportunity," said Zaidi. "Women's health is not just a philanthropic cause—it's an investable opportunity with immense potential for scientific breakthroughs that could help millions of women. What's needed is the will to pursue and follow through."
The foundation's investment will advance innovation across five high-impact areas of a woman's lifespan:
Obstetric care and maternal immunization: Making pregnancy and delivery safer
Maternal health and nutrition: Supporting healthier pregnancies and newborns
Gynecological and menstrual health: Advancing tools and research to better diagnose, treat, and improve gynecological health and reduce infection risk
Contraceptive innovation: Offering more accessible, acceptable, and effective options
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs): Improving diagnosis and treatment to reduce disproportionate burdens on women
The five priority areas were selected based on a combination of data and evidence about where innovation can save and improve the most lives, direct insights from women in low- and middle-income countries about their needs and preferences, and the persistently high rates of misdiagnosis caused by gaps in medical knowledge and training. They also reflect the unique challenges faced in low-resource settings, making these areas especially ripe for broader public and private investment to drive meaningful, scalable impact.
This work supports the foundation's long-term goals through 2045: helping to end preventable deaths of moms and babies; ensuring the next generation grows up without having to suffer from deadly infectious diseases; and lifting millions of people out of poverty, putting them on a path to prosperity. It builds on a 25-year legacy of advancing maternal and child health and supporting women's empowerment globally. The R&D commitment complements the foundation's work supporting the scale-up and delivery of women's health commodities, vaccines such as the HPV vaccine, and child health.
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