WHO calls for action to ensure equitable access to digital innovations for women and girls

On eve of International Women's Day on Tuesday, WHO called for intensified action in Souast Asia and rest of world to ensure that every woman and girl has equitable access to digital innovations that can support health and well-being.

For both women and men, digital innovations and technologies hold immense potential to increase access to essential health services and improve health and well-being, said Poonam Khetrapal Singh, World Health Organisation's Regional Director for South-East Asia.

However, gender inequality constrains ability of women and girls to benefit, compounding existing inequities in health outcomes, she said.

An estimated 61 per cent of women in Asia Pacific use internet, compared to 75 per cent of men. Women are about 12 per cent less likely to own mobile phones than men, and among those who don't own mobile phones, women outnumber men by 39 per cent, Singh said in a statement.

Women are under-represented in technology sector jobs and leership roles, which could le to unconscious bias in design and development of new digital products, including for health and well-being.

In 2022, women comprised 33 per cent of workforce in 20 largest global technology companies. However, y held just one in four leership positions, Singh said.

Similar disparities exist in health workforce, she said, ding that women comprise about 70 per cent of global health workforce but hold just 25 per cent of senior roles.

This could impact design and delivery of digital health and or interventions, as well as health policies and systems more broly, she said.

WHO analysis shows that women leers often expand health agenda, strengning health for all and targeting health inequities.

Gender-sensitive assessments and gender-responsive interventions should be applied to enhance health and health equity, and an increased role for women in digital health space should be actively pursued to accelerate health for all and gender equality more broly, Singh said.

COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing gender inequalities, and by one estimate, it has increased time it will take to achieve gender equality globally from 100 years to 132 years, she said.

However, new digital tools in health and or sectors can help close gap and accelerate progress towards gender equality – but only if y are appropriately designed and delivered, and accessible to all women and girls, she said. PTI PLB DIV DIV