WomenX Collective takes off: Transforming women’s health through innovation

Despite significant progress, women’s health remains under-researched and underfunded. The benefits of research and development in this field are unequally distributed. Reproductive health issues, for example, are among the leading causes of death and disability for women and girls in developing countries, resulting in annual economic losses estimated between 86 and 206 billion USD.

In response to this issue, the WomenX Collective are stepping in to create change. In October 2024, the WomenX Collective was officially launched at the World Health Summit in Berlin. This groundbreaking initiative aims to transform women’s and girls’ health worldwide by introducing innovative, women-centered solutions. Through catalytic funding, collaboration, and the use of modern technology, WomenX Collective seeks to develop scalable models that improve healthcare access for women, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Following the launch of the WomenX Collective at the 2024 World Health Summit, it is a pleasure to note the momentum building around its first Global Hub in Berlin. A Global Hub is a centralized location where various stakeholders, from research institutions to private companies, come together to foster innovation and collaboration. In Berlin, this Hub is connected with Charité – Universitätsmedizin and the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH), Global WomenX Collective is connecting with and leveraging the rich research and innovation ecosystem based in Germany. This ecosystem is driven by initiatives such as Charité’s Centre for Global Health, the Global Health Hub Germany, the German Health Alliance, and supported by BMZ.

WomenX Collective follows a three-stage approach: Adapt, Assess, and Scale. First, relevant solutions are locally adapted, and a proof of concept is implemented. Next, the impact is assessed to develop evidence-based investment cases, generating public learning. Finally, the initiative leverages UNFPA’s global network and expertise to scale up successful solutions.

As part of the ongoing efforts to foster collaboration, Head of Community Management of the GHHG Katrin Wuerfel visited WomenX and met with Deepali Sood, Global Coordinator, WomenX Collective, as well as Harriet Andrews, Sexual and Reproductive Health Innovation Specialist at the Berlin Institute of Health. The goal of the visit was to network, discuss potential future partnerships, and explore opportunities for joint initiatives aimed at advancing women’s health on a global scale.

In January 2025, Deepali delivered a keynote speech and participated in a panel hosted by the BIH Digital Health Accelerator, where she spoke about WomenX’s vision to transform women’s health by delivering innovative health solutions at scale in low- and middle-income countries.

Later in 2025, WomenX Collective will be launching its next global Hub in Nairobi, Kenya, and the team is actively reaching out to stakeholders from across the public and private sectors to engage. If you are interested in collaborating with WomenX Collective, please contact: womenx-collective@unfpa.org.