Blog of Olga Tzortzatou Nanopoulou, SI Representative to the UN in Geneva.

This report summarises key points from a webinar which took place on 9 December 2024, hosted by the World Health Organisation (WHO)  Global Knowledge Network for Health Equity (GKNHE) and the WHO Collaborating Centre on Health in All Policies and the Social Determinants of Health. The webinar explored how social protection programs can help improve health equity, especially for women, and how these programs can remove the barriers that stop people from getting the healthcare they need.

During the webinar, speakers discussed the importance of social factors—like income, education, and where people live—that affect health. They also talked about how these factors are linked with gender. Women often face unfair treatment when it comes to things like access to money, jobs, and education, which leads to poorer health outcomes for them. The webinar stressed that to improve health for everyone, we must address these unfair practices and make sure women have equal access to resources.

Social protection programs—such as financial support and social services—were highlighted as essential tools for improving women’s health. These programs help women by improving their living conditions, giving them more access to healthcare, and providing financial support. The webinar explained that the connection between social protection, gender equality, and health is influenced by things like government policies and individual factors such as income and education. For women, especially those in difficult situations, social protection needs to be specifically designed to meet their health needs.

To make social protection more effective for women’s health, the webinar suggested that we need to make big changes to current policies. These changes should tackle the root causes of health problems women face, focusing on the deeper social issues that prevent women from getting the care they need. It was also suggested that policies include specific actions, such as cash transfers, health services, and other support, that are designed to meet women’s health needs. One idea discussed was the concept of universal basic income (UBI), which could help women financially, giving them better access to healthcare and reducing gender-based health gaps.

Finally, during the panel discussions it was made clear that for social protection to work for health equity, it must prioritize women’s health and gender equality. By changing policies to address the deeper causes of health disparities, we can create a fairer society where everyone, especially women, has equal access to healthcare. By designing social protection programs that focus on women’s specific needs, we can move toward a future where everyone’s health and well-being are supported, and health equality is achieved.