Healthy women and girls are the foundation for healthier societies. Investing in women's and girls' health doesn't just make their lives better; it has a multiplier effect that extends far beyond them, benefiting their families, their workplaces, their communities and their countries as a whole. However, during the pandemic, women’s health resources have been funneled away from sexual and reproductive health services. An estimated 12 million women experienced disruptions in their family planning services due to the pandemic – resulting in 1.4 million unintended pregnancies during 2020 across 115 low- and middle-income countries. What’s more, maternal health disparities for Black women have worsened, a trend that is expected to continue beyond 2002. From the standpoint of social returns, supporting women's access to proper healthcare and health information is an investment in a better future for all – but to achieve this, positive change is needed on every level, both inside the industry and out.
