Women’s health has been consistently underfunded and under-researched.
Only 7 percent of national health research funding is directed to women’s health research, despite women being 51 percent of Canada’s population. Up until 1997, women were excluded from clinical trials, meaning current health-care systems were designed around male norms.
There’s not only a medical imperative to better women’s health, there’s also an economic and social imperative, too. Canadian women spend 24 percent more of their lives in poor health compared to men.
Investing more to address this gap in B.C. alone could unlock an estimated $5.1 billion in increased provincial GDP over the next 15 years. Improved health outcomes for women would support workforce participation, reduce missed workdays and expand access to preventive care. But this investment also leads to a more human outcome, giving women back the equivalent of one additional week of good health each year.
March is Women’s Health Research Month in B.C.
Women’s health affects everyone, impacting families and communities across the province. All women will be affected by a health concern at some point in their lives—one in three women are going through menopause right now.
To raise awareness and accelerate research driving better health care for women, girls and gender-diverse people, BC Women’s Health Foundation launched the Women’s Health Research Month campaign. And in support of the initiative, the provincial government has formally proclaimed March 2026 as Women’s Health Research Month.
“Women, girls and gender-diverse people experience health differently, and our health system must reflect those realities,” said Josie Osborne, B.C.’s minister of health, in a press release. “By proclaiming March as Women’s Health Research Month, we reaffirm our commitment to equitable, high-quality care informed by strong evidence.”
Recognizing women’s health research as a provincial priority also emphasizes the urgent need for philanthropic investment to close the women’s health gap.
“We are deeply grateful for the proclamation, which strengthens the conversation across our province and underscores the vital role philanthropy plays in closing the women’s health gap,” said Cally Wesson, president and CEO of BC Women’s Health Foundation, in a press release. “When we invest in research, we improve care—ensuring women live healthier lives and communities across British Columbia thrive.”
BC Women’s Health Foundation’s Philanthropic BC Action Plan for Women’s Health positions philanthropy as the catalyst to close the women’s health research gap, fuel innovation and ensure research leads to better, evidence-based care for women across the province. The plan designates funding across women’s health focuses: menopause and midlife care, mental health, research, endometriosis and cancer.
So, while Women’s Health Research Month may be ending, the work to close the health gap is just beginning. There’s still time to carry this momentum well beyond March and support improved health outcomes for half the country’s population.
For more information, visit bcwomensfoundation.org/whrm.
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