Although previous research has noted that mental health and empowerment are closely aligned facets of a woman’s life, this relationship has not been extensively or clearly documented. Until now. 
“Women’s mental health does not receive the time, attention, or investment it deserves. We are on a mission to talk about it, invest in it, and bring more voices and support to the table.
This is why we commissioned this research and hope it will support you in making the case to join us.”
Taryn Bird, Executive Director, Social Impact
Kate Spade New York
Executive Summary
Over the past several decades, much progress has been made on advancing women’s equality and empowerment in many parts of the world, however there is still a long way to go. At the current rate of progress, it will take nearly 300 years to achieve gender equality by ending discriminatory laws and closing gaps in legal protections for women and girls around the globe.
This research study, funded by Kate Spade New York and conducted by Prospira Global, explores an area of increasing need, largely left off of gender equality and empowerment agendas, that could help accelerate progress: mental health.
Although it has been noted that mental health and empowerment are closely aligned facets of a woman’s* life, the relationship has not been extensively studied, and the prioritization of mental health within the global women’s empowerment community has also been largely unknown.
This study aims to bridge these gaps by issuing a call to action for all organizations working to improve the lives of women and girls worldwide, urging them to integrate mental health support into their work.
We hope that this report helps to lay a more sustainable foundation for future progress towards gender equality around the world. We hope it is a tool for advocates in making the case to your organizations, funders, and policymakers that greater action is needed to support the mental health of women and girls to achieve long term empowerment.
Download the full report here.
*Women and girls in all their intersecting identities.
Women* experience more stressors simply by being women in the world
today
Mental health is foundation to empowerment
Not Enough is being done
Funding is the largest barrier to progress
Organizations need to start from within
Good mental health is her right
“This report has the potential to stimulate changes in policy, practice and research with positive effects on women’s lives across the world.”
— Prof. Helen Herrman, Professor, Orygen and The University of Melbourne
“Strong mental health has been ignored as a foundational component of gender empowerment and equality. Gender funders must step up to include support of mental health of women and girls as a crucial enabler of prosperity and productivity. Investing in mental health not only impacts individuals, but broadly impacts sustainability and economic outcomes."
— S. Mona Since, Global Executive Director, Equality Now and Board Chair, Women Moving Millions
“Supporting mental health is not a demonstration of weakness but rather a testament to our inherent humanity. It extends beyond mere acts of kindness; it is an investment in the well-being of individuals and the resilience of our communities. ”
— Caroline Makara, CFO, Abahizi Community Benefit Corporation
Research Methodology.
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1. Reviewing the existing evidence on the relationship between women’s empowerment and mental health.
As part of this study, an extensive desk review was conducted on the intersection of mental health and women’s empowerment. The results, summarized in the report and presented in further detail a separate cited conceptual framework (download here) unequivocally support the assertion that mental health is foundational to women’s empowerment. This conceptual framework has been developed by Prospira Global and inspired by the flower analogy used by Kate Spade New York.
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2. A global survey to understand the current prioritization of mental health within gender-focused organizations and practitioners
Prospira Global conducted an online survey between January 30 and April 3, 2023, targeting gender-focused organizations and practitioners from the gender community. The aim was to gain insights into how implementers, funders, and practitioners work at the intersection of mental health and women’s empowerment. Download the full survey methodology here.
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3. Undertaking case studies with gender focused organizations to share practical examples and solutions
The three case studies included in the report provide practical examples and solutions around how, together, we can better support women worldwide through the integration of women’s mental health into empowerment frameworks. All of these case studies are from grassroots women’s empowerment focused organizations that have been supported by Kate Spade New York and the Kate Spade New York Foundation.
Please join us in sharing your thoughts on the research with colleagues, friends and on social media.
A full launch communications toolkit is available here for download. Or, please contact sam@prospira.global for any additional support you would like to offer to share these research findings with gender focused organizations, funders, media, companies and advocates around the world.
We’d love to hear from you
If you have any feedback on this research, or it has supported you to make the case to increase support for women and girls’ mental health, we would love to hear from you. Please share any feedback or stories of impact below you wish to share with us. Your feedback will only be shared publicly with your permission.