“Digit ALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality”

Cairo, Egypt, 8 March 2023 – Today we celebrate International Women’s Day 2023 under the theme “Digit ALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality”. 

How can new technologies contribute to better health and well-being and reduce gender gaps in health? COVID-19 showed that technology is key to improving access to health care and providing information that improves the health and well-being of individuals and communities.

In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, advances in technology, gender equality and better health for women and girls all face political, social and environmental challenges, but we can overcome those challenges. We can prioritize the health of girls and women throughout the life course by improving their access to digital technology and strengthening their capacities to use it. 

Our Region is contending with humanitarian emergencies on a colossal scale, hindering physical access to health services. Digital technology can help. It can support women by providing information on basic health issues, answering some of their questions and also reducing the number of visits and the waiting time in facilities. WHO is emphasizing the importance of digital health for all, and several ongoing activities aim to improve digital literacy for health for both men and women.

We are celebrating International Women’s Day 2023 with a regional event on women’s health and gender equality, scheduled for 20 March. We will be launching a major new analysis of gender and health in the Region and unveiling our regional vision towards a comprehensive approach to address women’s health. This is essential to realize our vision of Health for All by All in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.