E-Paper
When women’s health falters, systems also falter
This article is authored by Angela Chaudhuri, chief catalyst, Swasti.
Imagine a society in which, for one week, women paused all unpaid care work. Meals would go unprepared, medications unmonitored, children unsupervised, elderly parents unattended, and community health services understaffed. Such a scenario is hypothetical, but the dependence is real.
Women perform the majority of unpaid care work worldwide. According to the International Labour Organization, women carry out approximately 76% of global unpaid care responsibilities. This invisible labour underpins public health, economic productivity, and social cohesion. Yet the health of the very individuals who sustain these systems is frequently deprioritised.
Public health discourse has historically centred on maternal outcomes when addressing women’s health. While maternal mortality reduction remains critical, it represents only a fraction of women’s health needs. Non-communicable diseases are now the leading causes of death among women globally. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that cardiovascular disease alone accounts for more than one third of female deaths worldwide. Mental health conditions, particularly depression and anxiety, are also more prevalent among women.
The structural contradiction is clear. Societies rely heavily on women’s labour in both formal and informal sectors, yet preventive and long-term health investments for women remain inadequate.
This imbalance becomes especially visible in the health workforce. Women make up about two thirds of the global health and social care workforce, according to the WHO. During the Covid-19 pandemic, women health workers experienced high exposure risk, extended shifts, and increased domestic care burdens. Subsequent research has documented elevated burnout rates across nursing and community health cadres. Burnout, now classified by the WHO as an occupational phenomenon, reflects chronic unmanaged stress and contributes to workforce attrition.
Beyond the workforce, the domestic sphere presents similar risks. Time poverty limits women’s ability to access preventive screening, exercise, or mental health support. In many low- and middle-income countries, women also face constraints in mobility, financial autonomy, and health decision-making. These factors compound risk for untreated chronic disease and delayed care seeking.
Climate change adds another layer of vulnerability. United Nations analyses have shown that women in many contexts face disproportionate exposure to heat stress, food insecurity, and water scarcity due to gendered livelihood roles and caregiving expectations. As climate related health risks intensify, the burden on women increases further.
The challenge is not biological difference. It is systemic design.
Addressing this imbalance requires coordinated action. Primary health systems must integrate comprehensive screening for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, mental health conditions, and cancers across the female life course. Evidence from multiple countries shows that early detection significantly reduces treatment costs and mortality.
Labour policies must recognise care as economic infrastructure. Paid parental leave, flexible work arrangements, and public childcare services reduce caregiver strain and improve workforce retention. Countries that have implemented family-friendly labour policies demonstrate improved female labour force participation and better mental health outcomes.
Health workforce planning must prioritise safe staffing ratios, occupational health protections, and leadership pathways for women. The gender pay gap in health and social care sectors remains persistent, and addressing it is both a fairness and sustainability issue.
Finally, data systems must disaggregate health indicators by sex and age and incorporate unpaid care burden into well-being metrics. Without measurement, structural strain remains invisible.
International Women’s Day, often celebrates resilience and strength. Yet resilience should not be mistaken for limitless capacity. A society that depends on women’s labour while neglecting women’s health builds fragility into its foundations.
Protecting women’s health is not a sectoral issue. It is a systemic safeguard. When women’s health is prioritised across the life course, families function more securely, health systems operate more reliably, and economies perform more steadily. When it is neglected, strain accumulates quietly until it becomes crisis.
The choice is not symbolic. It is structural.
This article is authored by Angela Chaudhuri, chief catalyst, Swasti.
