Women’s health is essential — so why is it still an afterthought in public health systems?

In this episode, we sit down with Olivia Cotes-James, founder of Good Period, LUÜNA and AVPN Gender Equality Ambassador, and Shruti Lohia Hora, healthcare leader and member of the Asia Gender Network, to unpack the persistent gaps in how healthcare systems across Asia serve women.

Together, they explore the stigma, system design flaws, and cultural blind spots that continue to undermine access to basic care — from menstruation to maternal health. Drawing from their own work and lived experiences, Olivia and Shruti offer insight into what real change looks like on the ground, and what it will take to make women’s health a true public health priority.

Gender inequality is a systems issue. Across Asia, women continue to face structural barriers shaped by disparities in health, education, digital access, caregiving, economic participation, and cultural norms. Yet across the region, leaders are working to reimagine these systems so women can thrive, participate meaningfully, and lead change within their communities and companies.

In this episode, we speak with Patricia Dwyer, Founder of The Purpose Business and Gender Equality Ambassador at AVPN, and Shaifalika Panda, Founder & CEO of the Bansidhar & Ila Panda Foundation and Convener of the G-20 EMPOWER Working Group on Mentorship during India’s G-20 Presidency in 2023. Together, they explore how gender equality requires integrated solutions — from corporate strategy and purpose-driven leadership to community development, health, education, and digital inclusion.

How can companies embed gender inclusion into long-term strategy rather than treat it as a standalone initiative? Why does community-driven development matter for women’s workforce participation? What makes mentorship ecosystems powerful tools for future readiness? And how can organisations design systems that lift women across the entire value chain?

This episode dives into what it truly takes to move from fragmented efforts to generational change and why systems transformation is essential for meaningful and sustained gender equality.

In our bid to make as much progress as possible, it’s worth reminding ourselves that gender equality is a long-term quest. After all, given that it’s projected to take 131 years to close the global gender gap, legacy planning is key. Guests Mercedes Lopez Vargas, Marianna Vargas-Morada, and Rabea Nawaz join us to talk about next generation philanthropy and trends that will shape giving in the future.

The abolishment of child marriage. Equal representation in national parliaments. The end of discriminatory laws. These goals may seem like impossible dreams, so we’re doing a check-in to see how much progress we’ve made. Guests Radha Goenka, Mona Sinha and Kathleen Chew share their experience from working on the ground, and analyze the role policy has played in helping and hindering their work, drawing on key highlights from the recently released paper “The State of Gender Inclusion in Asia-Pacific’s Regulatory Landscape”.

As much as we want to look at the big picture, a broad and wide-ranging approach in philanthropy may end up sidelining people who truly need the support. Vidya Shah of Edelgive and Jessica Espinoza of 2X Global dissect the gender-blind approach that’s all too common with impact funding. Tune in to understand how gender-lens investing can turn out to be a game-changer in philanthropy.

Have we truly broken the glass ceiling? The data might disagree. With only 20% of women in managerial positions and 32% in tech roles across APAC, many barriers still exists. Pranapda Chirathivat of Siam Motors Group and Dragonfly 360, and Shinta Dhanuwardoyo of Bubu.com and Supergirls in Tech, break it down to explain the systemic challenges holding women back.

Fresh from the G20 summit, we take a closer look at women-led development and the importance of women, not just as beneficiaries of impact, but as the leaders of change themselves. Anne Sutanto and Kanta Singh join us for this conversation on the radical shifts that need to happen for sustainable development for women and girls.

A brief introduction to Gender Agenda, the podcast that takes a hard-hitting and honest look at gender lens giving.