Innovation for Impact: UNFPA Launches Challenge for Women’s Health Solutions

The Equalizer Challenge 2025: Empowering Women’s Health Innovation Globally

Women account for half of the global population, yet their specific health needs—particularly in areas like reproductive health, maternal care, and female-focused medical innovations—remain severely neglected and underfunded.

Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations agency for sexual and reproductive health, highlights a critical reality: “Every minute, at least two women die globally from pregnancy-related complications or cancers like breast and cervical cancer due to unequal healthcare access.” This points to the urgent need for impactful, scalable healthcare solutions that can reach underserved populations and close the gender health gap worldwide.

Every day, approximately 800 women lose their lives to preventable causes linked to pregnancy and childbirth. Additionally, about 500,000 women die annually from cervical and breast cancers, with the majority of these deaths happening in low- and middle-income countries where proper screening and treatments are lacking, as reported by the World Health Organization.

Despite the magnitude of these challenges, only 1% of global healthcare research funding is dedicated to female-specific conditions outside of cancer. Even more concerning, a mere 0.2% of R&D investments focus on sexual and reproductive health in developing countries—despite its vital importance for lifelong wellness. Systemic gender biases in technology and healthcare design further widen the gap, emphasizing the need for more inclusive solutions.

What is the Equalizer Challenge?

In response, UNFPA has launched the Equalizer Challenge, aimed at transforming how the world approaches women’s health innovation. The initiative seeks to:

Discover and support innovative, scalable solutions that address women’s health needs.
Uplift women-led businesses working on critical health issues.
Strengthen the global ecosystem for women’s health innovation.
Offer non-dilutive funding, expert mentorship, and capacity-building opportunities to help women entrepreneurs scale their impact.
Promote gender equity in health tech by improving access to investment, mentorship, and professional networks.

Through this challenge, UNFPA hopes to not only boost innovation in women's healthcare but also foster an inclusive environment where women innovators thrive and reshape global health outcomes.

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for The Equalizer Challenge, applicants must meet the following requirements:

The applicant must be a women-led social enterprise legally registered and operating in a UNFPA programme country, with an innovative, scalable solution that addresses critical women’s health needs.
Eligible organizations include startups, non-profits, social enterprises, or hybrid models that are committed to improving access to essential women’s health services. These organizations should have a clear business model and a feasible strategy to scale their solution either through public or private sector pathways.
Applicants must submit:
- A minimum viable product (MVP).
- Evidence of ownership or intellectual property rights for the MVP.
- An application in English, and the core team must have working proficiency in the language.
- A commitment to participate in virtual innovation cohort sessions from May to December 2025, and comply with all program requirements.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be assessed in two stages—initial review by UNFPA, followed by a final interview round with an expert panel.

Submissions will be evaluated based on the following:

Relevance: The solution directly targets health challenges specific to women and girls.
Innovation: The idea introduces a new concept or applies existing technologies or approaches in a creative way.
Impact: Demonstrated potential to significantly improve women’s health outcomes.
Business Sustainability: A robust and realistic plan for generating revenue or achieving cost recovery.
Scalability & Feasibility: A well-defined and practical roadmap for expansion.
Human-Centered Design: Solutions must be developed with input from women, particularly those from underserved or marginalized communities.

Key Dates & Benefits

Application Period: Submissions open from April 9 to May 4, 2025.
Winner Announcement: Successful applicants will be revealed in June 2025.
Innovation Support Programme: Selected winners will participate in a tailored support programme running from June to November 2025.
Grant Funding: Each winner can receive up to $20,000 in non-dilutive funding to scale their innovation.
Global Recognition: Participants gain access to international networks, mentorship, and investor connections.
Continued Support: Ongoing opportunities for collaboration, exposure, and involvement in major global health events and forums.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified? Go to Scholarship at Uniplus Global to apply