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A recent review, published in BMJ Global Health, reveals that women leaders in the health sector play a significant role in advancing national wealth, health, innovation, and ethics. Despite their proven positive impact, women remain a largely underutilized resource, particularly in low and middle-income countries. The study calls for increased and sustained investment to unlock the full potential of women in leadership roles.
Women comprise 70% of the healthcare workforce and 90% of nursing and midwifery roles. However, they hold only 25% of leadership positions across the sector. The study highlights the need to shift this imbalance, with evidence suggesting that women in leadership roles bring substantial benefits, particularly in improving maternal healthcare policies and addressing health inequalities. However, the global health impact of women leaders remains an area that requires further investigation.
The research team conducted a scoping review of 137 peer-reviewed articles to explore the effects of women’s leadership in health organizations within low and middle-income countries. The findings were overwhelmingly positive—97% of studies reported a statistically significant positive impact, with women’s leadership contributing to better financial performance, innovation, health outcomes, and organizational culture. Even when results were mixed, studies generally pointed to positive outcomes, especially when women had access to better education and opportunities for collaboration.
Key areas of influence identified in the review include:
- Financial performance, risk, and stability
- Innovation and engagement with ethical initiatives
- Improvement in health outcomes and organizational culture
- Enhanced employee retention, team cohesion, and communication
- Influence on other women’s career development and aspirations
Despite these clear benefits, the review also noted the challenges that women leaders face, including overt and covert biases, discrimination, and patriarchal norms. The researchers suggest that the success of women leaders may be linked to their transformational leadership styles, which tend to be more democratic and participative.
However, the study emphasizes that women’s success in leadership cannot be separated from the organizational contexts they work within. Unsupportive environments, they warn, can limit the impact women leaders are able to have.
“Investing in women’s leadership within the health sector will lead to better outcomes for organizations and their clients,” the researchers conclude. “Such investments should focus not only on individual women but also on fostering organizational cultures that support, retain, and empower women leaders.”
In an accompanying editorial, Dr. Jocalyn Clark, international editor for The BMJ, argues that the male-dominated global health leadership landscape is out of step with scientific evidence. She stresses the importance of advocating for gender equality, particularly in the current climate of backlash against diversity and inclusion efforts.
“Change is the responsibility of everyone—not just women,” Dr. Clark writes. “However, increasing the number of women in leadership roles could drive transformative change within biased systems.”
Disclaimer: The findings in this article are based on a scoping review published in BMJ Global Health. These findings represent an analysis of existing research and may not universally apply to all contexts or organizations. Further research is needed to fully understand the global impact of women leaders in the health sector.
Source: BMJ Global Health (2025). DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2024-015982
