Join us on the sidelines of the 2025 High-level Political Forum (HLPF) for a dynamic online session launching the new UHC2030 Strategic Narrative to drive advocacy and action for advancing gender-responsive health systems.
Register here and find more information below.
Date:18 July, 2025
Time: 8:00-9:30am ET I 2:00-3:30pm CET
Location: online
Organizers: UHC2030, CSEM for UHC2030, Women in Global Health, PMNCH, Alliance for Gender Equality and UHC, IFMSA
Background:
Deep and persistent inequalities remain a major barrier to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The latest evidence shows that approximately 4.5 billion people are not fully covered by essential health services, while 2 billion people face financial hardship due to out-of-pocket health expenditures. These aggregated statistics alone do not present the full story, as they mask the disproportionate impact of gender inequality and intersecting forms of inequality on those most often excluded:women, girls, and marginalized communities in low- and middle-income countries.
Gender equality, including equal rights and equal access to health services, is critical to strengthening health systems to achieve UHC and leaving no one behind. Yet the UHC2030’s latest State of UHC Commitment review shows that UHC processes are still gender blind and the pace of reform is inadequate. Gender inequality remains one of the most significant barriers to creating equitable health systems. To make meaningful progress on health for all, countries must understand and act on how gender influences health outcomes and intersects with other dimensions of inequality to limit access to health services and financial protection.
At a time of increasing global instability marked by conflict, climate shocks, deepening inequalities and economic uncertainty, there is an urgent need to strengthen efforts to build health systems that are gender responsive to address the needs of all people and advance health system strengthening for UHC, health security, gender equality, and the sustainable development goals. While hard-won gains on gender equality are facing growing backlash and regression, these disruptions also present a critical opportunity to reshape health systems, making them more just, inclusive, and gender-responsive.
In this context, UHC2030, in collaboration with the Alliance for Gender Equality and UHC, the Partnership for Maternal Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH); with support from Women in Global Health (WGH) as a co-convenor of the Alliance for Gender Equality and UHC, are launching a new Strategic Narrative to drive advocacy and action for advancing gender-responsive health systems to achieve UHC.
The Strategic Narrative serves as a practical tool to support civil society organizations, advocates, policymakers and other stakeholders to push for the implementation of global commitments at national and local levels, through concrete actions and sustained investments in gender-responsive health systems. It provides a shared vision, common language, and practical entry points to drive political commitment and accountability for building health systems that work for everyone, spotlighting concrete actions where targeted advocacy can generate timely change and shift momentum to unlock progress.
UHC has the potential to transform the health and lives of billions of people but only if it extends its reach to all.
Purpose of this session:
In a global context marked by deepening inequality, climate shocks, conflict, and growing backlash against gender equality, this event provides a critical opportunity to align advocates around a shared vision for action. The launch of the UHC2030 Strategic Narrative to drive advocacy and action for advancing gender-responsive health systems will spotlight the urgent need to transform health systems to be inclusive, equitable, and responsive to the needs of all people.
This event will equip advocates with clear advocacy messages and targeted actions from the strategic narrative to strengthen their efforts to influence decision-makers, close the gap between commitments and implementation, and ensure gender equality is embedded at the heart of health system strengthening for progress towards UHC.
Objectives:
- Launch the UHC2030 Strategic Narrative to drive advocacy and action for advancing gender-responsive health systems.
- Highlight the need for coordinated advocacy and concrete action to advance gender-responsive health systems as a foundation for achieving UHC, health equity, and the Sustainable Development Goals.
- Amplify the voices of women leaders, youth, civil society and grassroots advocates working to drive change in their communities.
- Foster widespread and cross-sectoral solidarity and momentum to turn political commitments into concrete, gender-transformative health reforms.
Register now and mark your calendar!
We are looking forward to seeing you online.
