Gates Foundation Pledges $2.5 Billion to Transform Women’s Health R&D by 2030

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced a groundbreaking $2.5 billion investment, to be allocated through 2030, aimed at accelerating research and development (R&D) in women’s health. This unprecedented funding will drive progress on more than 40 innovations across five key areas of women’s health particularly those long overlooked and underfunded, and especially impactful for women in low- and middle-income countries.

“For far too long, women have endured health conditions that are neglected, misdiagnosed, or poorly understood,” said Dr. Anita Zaidi, president of the foundation’s Gender Equality Division. “With this investment, we hope to ignite a new era of women-focused innovation one that centers women's bodies, voices, and experiences in the health R&D space.”

Despite the immense impact of women’s health on society, research in this field has historically received minimal attention. Areas such as menstrual and gynecological health, maternal care, contraception, STI prevention and treatment (including HIV PrEP tailored for women), and maternal nutrition remain vastly underfunded. A 2021 report by McKinsey & Company revealed that only about 1% of healthcare R&D funding is directed toward female-specific conditions outside of cancer. Crucial issues like endometriosis, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, heavy menstrual bleeding, and menopause continue to be under-researched, despite affecting hundreds of millions of women globally.

“Investing in women’s health changes everything from healthier families to stronger economies,” said Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation. “Yet women’s health continues to be marginalized. Too many women still suffer or die from preventable causes. That has to change and we’re calling on others to join us.”

The foundation is urging governments, private sector leaders, philanthropists, and investors to co-invest in women’s health innovation, support product development, and help ensure access to solutions for the women and girls who need them most.

“This is the largest single investment we’ve made in women’s health R&D,” Dr. Zaidi added. “But it’s only a start. Women’s health isn’t just a charitable issue it’s a space ripe for scientific breakthroughs and measurable impact. What’s needed now is the collective will to act.”

The Five Priority Areas for Investment:

The funding will support innovation across five critical phases of a woman’s life:

1. Obstetric Care & Maternal Immunization: Improving the safety of pregnancy and childbirth.

2. Maternal Health & Nutrition: Ensuring better outcomes for mothers and newborns.

3. Gynecological & Menstrual Health: Enhancing diagnostics and treatments to improve reproductive health and reduce infection risks.

4. Contraceptive Innovation: Expanding access to safer, more acceptable, and effective contraceptive options.

5. Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs): Advancing diagnosis and treatment to address the disproportionate impact of STIs on women.

Among the areas with significant potential for breakthroughs are non-hormonal contraceptives, therapies for preeclampsia, and new research into the vaginal microbiome. The foundation’s commitment also includes investments in data collection and advocacy efforts to ensure uptake and impact once innovations are ready for deployment.

These priority areas were selected based on data, global health impact, input from women in low-resource settings, and the persistent diagnostic gaps due to limited medical knowledge and training. The focus reflects the need to address the unique health challenges faced by women particularly those in under-resourced communities where innovations can have transformative, scalable effects.

“We witness daily the devastating impact of underfunding women’s health women suffering unnecessarily, or even losing their lives, because their conditions are misunderstood or ignored,” said Dr. Bosede Afolabi, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Lagos. “This commitment shines a spotlight on these pressing health challenges and recognizes that women’s lives and the solutions that support them must be prioritized.”

A Catalyst for Change and Growth

The foundation’s investment is expected to have far-reaching economic and social implications. Research indicates that every $1 spent on women’s health can generate up to $3 in economic returns. Furthermore, closing the gender health gap could add $1 trillion to the global economy annually by 2040.

This initiative supports the Gates Foundation’s long-term goals through 2045: ending preventable deaths of mothers and babies, eradicating deadly infectious diseases, and helping lift millions out of poverty through better health and opportunity. It builds on 25 years of commitment to maternal and child health and women's empowerment, and complements ongoing efforts such as scaling up delivery of health commodities, childhood immunizations, and vaccines like HPV.

About the Gates Foundation
Driven by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to ensure that people everywhere can live healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, the foundation supports innovative solutions that empower communities to improve their futures. In the U.S., it focuses on expanding opportunity for those facing systemic barriers. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman under the guidance of Bill Gates and the foundation’s board.

Source: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/media-center/press-releases/2025/08/womens-health-funding-commitment