As donor funding declines, gender equity risks being sidelined in health financing. FAH urges governments to adopt gender-responsive strategies to protect women’s health and achieve universal coverage.
As global health systems adapt to decreasing donor support, a blog by Dr. Thenjiwe Sisimayi for the Financing Alliance for Health warns of a critical risk: gender equality may be sidelined in the transition toward domestic resource mobilisation. In ‘Navigating the Changing Donor Landscape: Why Gender Equality Must Remain a Priority in Health Financing,’ Dr. Sisimayi argues that services fundamental to women’s health—maternal care, reproductive health, and GBV response—are often the first to face cuts when budgets tighten.
The piece outlines concrete recommendations for governments and Ministries of Health, including the formation of rapid response task forces, gender-responsive budgeting, scenario planning, and political advocacy training. It calls for integrated, gender-sensitive approaches to ensure women and marginalised communities are not left behind as health systems evolve.
This timely call to action emphasises that gender equity must not be treated as optional in health financing—it is essential to achieving resilient, inclusive systems and universal health coverage.
