Halifax, NS (November 13, 2025) - The IWK Foundation is shining a spotlight on a critical and urgent gap in Canada’s health landscape. The report, The Case for Advancing Women’s Health in Canada, developed in collaboration with Deloitte Canada, reveals the current state of women’s health in Canada, highlights progress made to date, identifies powerful opportunities for transformative impact, and lays out a clear, actionable path forward to advance women’s health in Canada.
Despite longstanding recognition of the importance of women’s health, significant systemic barriers continue to prevent meaningful change. The report is part of a broader national and global movement to dismantle those barriers, beginning with the full inclusion of women at every level of the health sector, from policy and research to leadership and care delivery.
“Canada has both the history and the capacity to lead globally in advancing women’s health,” said Jennifer Gillivan, IWK Foundation. “We can no longer accept incremental progress. It’s time to act decisively to ensure women’s voices, experiences, and health outcomes are at the center of our health system.”
The report advocates for coordinated efforts among sectors, all levels of government, and community health leaders to:
- Appoint a National Women’s Health Chair to lead the development of a National Women’s Health Strategy
- Develop and implement a modern National Women’s Health Strategy for Canada that delivers measurable improvements in women’s health outcomes
- Commit to a 10-Year Women’s Health Investment Plan
“Research and innovation can help transform women’s health in Canada but without strategic collaboration, we risk falling further behind,” said Zahra Jivan, Healthcare Transformation Leader at Deloitte Canada. “Every dollar invested in women’s health is an investment in Canada’s productivity. Now is the time for a modernized approach to deliver better health outcomes for women and drive economic growth across the country.”
Canada stands at a pivotal moment. By honoring its historical commitments and stepping boldly into its role as a global leader, the country can drive meaningful, lasting change for generations of women to come.
ABOUT THE IWK FOUNDATION
The IWK Foundation is a champion of excellence in women and children’s healthcare and research and mental health and addictions for children and youth. The IWK Foundation is the primary fundraising organization for IWK Health, working in partnership with IWK Health and others to support the vision of providing quality care to women, children, youth and families in our community. The IWK Foundation is a national co-owner and partner of Canada’s Children’s Hospital Foundations and a member of the national Women’s Health Collective Canada. Visit www.iwkfoundation.org for more information.
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MEDIA CONTACT
Nicole Slysz
IWK Foundation
nicole.slysz@iwkfoundation.org
(902) 220-6748