What happens to a nation’s growth when half its people can’t access safe healthcare or fundamental rights? That’s the problem at the heart of women’s health worldwide. In this course, you’ll dig into global women’s health, gender inequality in health systems, and the human rights issues that keep women from thriving. You’ll also see why investing in women’s health makes economic sense, as it boosts productivity, stability, and community well-being. For a clear and practical map of women’s rights and public health, start here.

You’ll explore maternal mortality and reproductive health with a sharp focus on South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, where preventable pregnancy-related deaths remain devastatingly high. We break down the fundamental drivers: access to skilled care, contraception, safe childbirth services, and the social barriers that delay treatment. You’ll also look at unmet family planning needs, even as marriage patterns shift in many developing countries. By the end of this section, you’ll be able to connect policy choices to outcomes women live with every day.

Then we move from statistics to real-world change through case studies you can learn from. You’ll meet Palestinian activist Salwa Al-Najjab and the Women’s Social and Legal Guidance Center, and examine mothers2mothers (M2M), a program supporting HIV-positive pregnant women with testing, treatment, and medication access. The course also tackles gender-based violence, including sexual and domestic violence, with examples from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and China. We unpack risk factors such as forced marriage, child marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM), and labor exploitation, plus how NGOs fight back at local and political levels. Ready to understand the issues and the solutions? Join the course.