Central to the achievement of the Agenda for Sustainable Development is an adequate, equitably distributed and fully supported health workforce.
Nurses are the backbone of health systems; addressing shortages and improving conditions is critical for universal health coverage, emergency preparedness, and sustainable development.
The report presents the most comprehensive assessment of the global nursing workforce, projecting an 11 million shortage by 2030 and calling for urgent investment in education, jobs, leadership, and service delivery to achieve UHC and SDGs. It focuses on nursing workforce stock, demographics, education systems, working conditions, and leadership pipelines globally.
Key Themes:
Global nursing shortages and distribution inequities
Scaling up nursing education and standardizing regulation
Workforce demographics and feminization of the profession
Working conditions, wages, and retention challenges
Nursing leadership and governance roles (chief nursing officers)
Integration of nursing into PHC, UHC, and emergency preparedness
Policy priorities for 2026–2030 to close gaps and meet SDG targets