Closing the Women’s Health Gap
A REPORT BY THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM & MCKINSEY HEALTH INSTITUTE
Investing in women’s health presents a significant global economic opportunity, estimated as adding at least $1 trillion annually to the global economy by 2040 according to a World Economic Forum estimate (World Economic Forum & McKinsey Health Institute, 2024). This economic gain comes from several key areas: reducing productivity loss, increasing women’s participation in the workforce, and lowering healthcare costs.
GLOBAL GDP COULD RISE BY $1 TRILLION BY CLOSING THE GENDER GAP IN HEALTHCARE, BOOSTING GDP ANNUAL GROWTH UNTIL 2040 BY FOUR BASIS POINTS
Figure. Projected Economic Gains of Closing the Gender Health Gap
The economic benefits of treating women’s health are derived from several channels:
- Reduced Lost Productivity: Chronic and often-untreated conditions like endometriosis, migraines, and premenstrual syndrome cause millions of lost working days. By effectively treating these conditions, health services can reduce absenteeism and presenteeism, thereby boosting economic output. Just nine specific conditions drive one-third of the women’s health gap and could unlock $400 billion in global annual GDP by 2040 if addressed.
- Increased Workforce Participation: By addressing chronic pain, mental health issues, and conditions related to menopause, health services can reduce the number of women who are forced to leave their jobs or reduce their hours due to illness and could generate the equivalent of 137 million women accessing full-time positions by 2040.
- Lower Healthcare Costs: Early intervention for conditions like cardiovascular disease, for example, can prevent costly hospitalizations and emergency room visits – for every $1 invested in improving women’s health, it could generate $3 in projected economic growth.
This return on investment makes a strong economic case for prioritizing women’s health.