Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) – primarily cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases – represent a major health, social, and economic burden that affects women globally, yet their impact on women in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has not been fully recognized. ¹ NCDs cause premature death and disability among women of all socioeconomic strata worldwide. This burden is expected to increase substantially in the coming decades, especially in LMICs, because of a combination of factors, primarily the “ageing” of the population, improvements in maternal health in LMICs and a projected increase in smoking, obesity and other risk factors for NCDs among women. ²