Global Scans · Gender · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Achieving global gender parity will take many decades yet. Read on to understand the trends, challenges and efforts to advance parity at a faster pace.

• [New] The femtech industry is projected to expand from $59 billion to $103 billion by 2030 as women increasingly look to personal technology to tackle urgent health care needs like infertility, menopause, chronic conditions and more. Forbes
• [New] Harnessing technology such as the Commonwealth Meridian can transform debt transparency and policymaking, while investment in green industries, digital economies, and regional value chains will drive diversification and inclusive growth, particularly for women - and youth-led enterprises. Commonwealth
• [New] In 2025, more than 316,000 women are expected to be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the United States, making the efforts of the awareness month increasingly important. American Cancer Society MediaRoom
• [New] An algorithm that works perfectly for a white male in Silicon Valley might be dangerously inaccurate for a Black woman in rural Alabama. The European Business Review
• [New] The US Department of Agriculture told state agencies on Wednesday that due to the lapse in funding they will not receive their quarterly allocation of fiscal year 2026 money for WIC, formally known as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. CNN
• [New] Federal funding for WIC, the food assistance program for low-income women, infants and young children, could run out within one to two weeks if Congress does not allocate more money. CNN
• [New] Right-wing authoritarianism significantly and positively predicted sexual harassment, mediated by hostile attitudes towards women among American men in the general population. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] Young Middle Eastern women who are obese or overweight are facing a higher risk for the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and its associated risk factors like hypertension and Type Two diabetes. American College of Cardiology
• [New] By 2030, 45% of prime working age women in the US, defined as women aged between 25 and 44, will be single according to Census Bureau historical data and Morgan Stanley forecasts - the largest share in history. The Guardian
• [New] Plan International Australia emphasised that girls and young women face compounding vulnerabilities in a destabilised climate future. News Hub - Medianet News Hub archive
• [New] Obesity rates among women were predicted to surge from 57% in 2010 to 85% by 2030. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] By 2040, Mazandaran Province is projected to have the highest obesity rates in Iran, with 72.57% of women and 48.21% of men affected. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] The global surrogacy industry-projected to reach $100 billion in the next decade - operates largely on the backs of poor and vulnerable women. The Center for Bioethics & Culture Network
• Closing the gender digital divide alone could add $1.5 trillion to global GDP by 2030. UN DESA VOICE
• If current trends continue, 351 million women and girls could still be living in extreme poverty by 2030. UN DESA VOICE
• Projects should contribute to improving women's economic opportunities and advancement and support diverse and flexible employment opportunities for women and girls in NSW. Regional Development Australia - Northern Inland
• In Israel's confrontations with Hamas or Hezbollah, women decisionmakers could amplify the voices of civilian communities, mothers, and indirectly impacted populations. CIRSD
• In conflicts such as the ongoing one between Ukraine and Russia, women in key roles might have facilitated earlier dialog initiatives or humanitarian ceasefires, driven by sensitivity toward vulnerable populations. CIRSD
• Over the next three years, more than 2,200 pregnant women from low-income backgrounds will receive care packs, grocery vouchers and mental health support through a $6.5 million donation from DBS Foundation. ST
• Up to 50% of reproductive-aged women globally (950 million people) are iron deficient, with chronic HMB expected to be a major contributor. Wyss Institute

Last updated: 09 October 2025