NEWSLETTER March 2026
Advancing Women’s Health – Celebrating Transformation
From the editor
From invisible to essential: rethinking women’s health in Europe
For decades, modern medicine has claimed to serve everyone. But in reality, it has too often been built around a narrow definition of the “default patient”: white male. This long-standing bias has left women underrepresented in clinical trials, underdiagnosed in many conditions, and underserved by health systems that fail to account for biological and social differences. Today, the call for women’s health hubs at major universities is not just timely—it is essential.
The historical exclusion of women from clinical research has had real consequences. For years, women were left out of drug trials due to concerns about hormonal variability or potential pregnancy risks.
The result? Medications, treatments, and diagnostic criteria often designed around male bodies, do not work or worse may be even harmful to women.
As we speak women are more likely to experience delayed diagnoses for conditions like heart disease, endometriosis or menopause and their symptoms are more likely to be dismissed or misunderstood. This is not just a scientific gap; it is a systemic inequity.
Women’s health hubs, dedicated, interdisciplinary centers within universities have the potential to offer a powerful solution. By bringing together research, clinical care, policy, and education under one roof, these hubs can help ensure that women’s health is no longer treated as a niche issue but as a central pillar of public health. They can drive innovation, train the next generation of healthcare professionals, and ensure that research reflects the diversity of real-world populations.
The elephant in the room – this push for progress comes at a challenging time. Around the world, funding cuts to sexual and reproductive health programs are threatening hard-won gains. Development aid is shrinking, and services that millions of women rely on are under strain. At the same time, global crises, from conflicts and displacement to climate change and economic instability are disproportionately affecting women and girls further widening existing health inequalities.
And still, there is reason for hope.
Across Europe and beyond, momentum is building. New policy initiatives are placing women’s health higher on the agenda than ever before. Collaborative efforts between academic institutions, governments, and civil society are beginning to reshape priorities. Emerging frameworks are calling for more inclusive research practices, better data collection, and stronger investment in women’s health across the life course.
Networks and coalitions are also stepping up. Health-focused alliances are creating platforms to share knowledge, advocate for change, and push for accountability. Forward-looking charters (Nordic Womens Health Charter 2040 , EHFF ….) and women`s health working groups are setting ambitious goals for the coming decades, recognizing that improving women’s health is not only a moral imperative but also an economic and societal one.
Importantly, there is growing public awareness. Conversations about gender bias in healthcare are moving into the mainstream, driven by patient voices, media coverage, and advocacy campaigns. This shift in understanding is crucial. Change does not happen in parliaments or policy rooms alone, it requires public support and sustained pressure.
The case for women’s health hubs is, at its core, a call for fairness. It is about ensuring that half the world’s population is no longer treated as an afterthought in research and care. It is about building systems that recognize and respond to difference, rather than ignoring it.
If universities centers of knowledge and innovation take the lead, they can help rewrite the narrative. From exclusion to inclusion. From oversight to insight. From inequality to equity.
This month’s newsletter was co-edited and compiled by Louisa Edekobi, a member of the EHFF.
Cristina Carnovale, EHFF Member
Why women’s health research hubs are key to closing gender gaps in healthcare systems
A Case for Women’s Health Research Hubs at All Main Universities as We Mark Women’s Day 2026. Authored by Janet Michel (https://lnkd.in/gue-abtb), it makes a compelling case for Women’s Health Research Hubs at all major universities. It is a paradigm shift to address systemic neglect of women’s health, close gender data gaps, and center women as co-creators of their care.
Publisher link: https://www.sciltp.com/journals/gssd/articles/2603003209
Rethinking the future: how the Three Horizons workshop builds vision, planning and personal agency
3Horizons workshop moves perspectives – Kateryna Ostrovska reporting.
Imagine writing a message to your future self, sealing it in a bottle, and casting it into the vast ocean of life. A year later, as the waves gently deliver it to your feet on the shore, you realize how profoundly connected you are to your own aspirations. That’s exactly how I felt during the workshop, “Three Horizons: Seeing, Thinking, Planning and Evaluating Differently for an Aspirational Future – and Building the Agency to Get There.”
Read Kateryna Ostrovskas experience here.
When communication breaks down: relational leadership insights for navigating pressure and strengthening healthcare teams
Liza Collins shares on relational leadership
Australian Institute of Health Executives (AIHE)Australian Institute of Health Executives (AIHE) March Roundtable on Relational Leadership: Crisis in Communication
In this discussion, we unpack what really happens to communication under pressure, and how relational leadership can make or break a team in moments of crisis.
Find more on Spotify here or LinkedIn post here.
Who shapes women’s health narratives? Exploring the growing influence of social media on public awareness.
The Role of Media in future health – When Social Media Talks About Women’s Health: Who Shapes the Narrative?
Dr Yvonne Prinzellner had the pleasure of speaking at “Gesundheitsförderung im Gespräch” (Health Promotion in Conversation) hosted by the Wiener Gesundheitsförderung (WiG -Vienna Health Promotion) at the Urania in Vienna as part of the Frauengesundheitswoche (Women’s Health Week).
Find more on LinkedIn here or via Austrian media here.
EQ Cultivate strengthens youth mental wellbeing through emotional intelligence skills for today’s hybrid realities.
Strong project result from EHFF member Cristina Carnovale – awarded EU best practice
EQ Cultivate is an Erasmus+ Youth project coordinated by Kogui Hub, led by EHFF member Cristina Carnovale. The initiative focuses on strengthening emotional intelligence, mental wellbeing and active participation of young people in hybrid educational and work environments.
Implemented in collaboration with partners from Spain, Cyprus and Latvia, the project delivered workshops and training activities targeting youth workers and young people. One of its key outcomes is the open-access Handbook on Emotional Intelligence in Hybrid Workplaces, available in multiple languages and formats.
The project has been recognised as a best practice by the Spanish National Agency (INJUVE), highlighting its impact and innovation in promoting youth mental wellbeing across Europe.
Read more at the website https://eqcultivate.eu/
Upcoming events
ICIC2026, April 13-15, Birmingham
Integrated Care For All: Promoting Health and Wellbeing Through Diversity.
Supranational Democracy Dialogue, Brindisi, Italy – April 23-24
EHFF members are joining this event to follow up on the democracy workshop in Cologne. Key themes revolve around equity, inclusion, and resilience.
Hosted by the University of Salento
Register and learn more about the event following this link: Supranational Democracy Dialogue 2026
JA MENTOR – Catalogue of European mental health – April 30, online
Submit evidence-based or promising practices for MENTOR Catalogue Inventory
Art & Mental Health Festival, Aegina Greece – May 21-23
EHFF members are joining to share insights and explore pathways to resolve trauma. Key themes are empowerment, listening, restoring and agency.
Hosted by EPIONI, the Greek informal carers association. Event co-organised with WHO Athens Office.
HTAi Annual meeting, Istanbul, June 6-10
Digital Public Health Conference – June 24-26, Barcelona (Spain)
EHFF Members Carina Dantas, Nina Soenderberg, and Lars Münter will be conducting workshop on persona-approaches to digital health in LMIC.
Announcements from EHFF
New Member
Meet Lorenzo Valacca – Associate Director – Global Web Strategy at Eli Lilly
Nordic Intelligence Brief on Women’s Health
Created by the Women’s Health 2040 Charter – gives a very detailed update about key developments across the Nordic countries.
New EHFF Podcast Launched
Two episodes ready already – Comms team working hard on many more
Check it out on Spotify here
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Warm regards,
EHFF