Building Feminist Health Systems

The Gender and Health Systems Thematic Working Group has joined Women Deliver, the International Confederation of Midwives' PUSH Campaign and Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health’s Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health (PopFam) on the Building Feminist Health Systems Project.

What's the problem?

Though women are the majority of the health workforce and the primary users of health services, most health systems remain designed around men’s experiences, needs, and power structures. Millions of women around the world are demanding holistic and respectful care; they are demanding health systems that meet their unique and diverse needs. Studies show health systems are not gender-neutral: gender power relations affect access to resources, roles, norms, and decision-making. Power asymmetries in health systems continue to reproduce and reinforce neoliberal, colonial, capitalistic, and patriarchal structures that systematically disadvantage people, especially women, girls, and marginalized communities perpetuating structural inequalities. These structural failures reinforce oppressive structures that strip autonomy, dignity, and safety from both those who seek care and those providing it.

What's the solution?

Together with women’s health leaders, policymakers, academia, frontline health workers, youth advocates, and feminists from around the world,this project will aim to answer the following research question: What is needed to radically redesign health systems to centre women and their needs? 

There is sufficient literature to outline a diagnosis of why and how health systems are failing women. This project will focus on Visioning health systems through a Call to Action and recommendations for woman-centered care. We will further explore examples of finance, governance, and accountability within feminist health systems.

How can others get involved?

We must radically redesign systems around a rights-based, people-centered approach, grounded in feminist principles that challenge power structures, put women at the centre, and prioritize health as a human right. We are co-creating a Call to Action/Charter for Feminist Health Systems and invite all of you to share your demands, ideas, and insights. Based on your feedback, the final co-created and validated Call to Action will be launched at the Women Deliver Conference this April. 

This post-CSW community consultation is an open space for any advocate, researcher, decision-maker to add their voice! Join us one and all on

Date: Tues March 24th 2026

Time: 15:00-16:30 CET

Register here: Webinar Registration - Zoom

What’s next? 

The launch will be in Q2 with dissemination and stakeholder engagement efforts in Q3 targeting both decision-makers and academic audiences:

• April 2026: Launch of Call to Action at Women Deliver - concurrent session
• June 2026: Possible socialization with healthcare workers at ICM Congress (June 2026): Midwives as agents for creating feminist health systems
• September/October 2026: Possible engagement with policymakers at either at UNGA (Q3, September 2026) or the Feminist Foreign Policy Conference (Q4, October 2026).
• November 2026: Present the findings of scoping review on the principles of feminist health systems and recommendations of the CTA at Health Systems Global (Nov 2026)

How can I join the TWG?

Sign up here! https://healthsystemsglobal.org/thematic-groups/gender-and-health-systems/#join-group