Women’s Health and Equity Indicators

Abstract

society, whether defi ned by gender, ethnicity, age, religion or economic status 5 . Reducing these inequities requires understanding of the relationship between gender equity and socioeconomic inequality and how these affect womenʼs health at the macro and micro levels 6 . Achieving gender equity in health means eliminating unnecessary, avoidable and unjust barriers stemming from the social construction of gender, and providing women and men with the same opportunities necessary to have and sustain good health. It does not mean achieving the same rate of morbidity and mortality for men and women but a fair distribution of responsibilities, power and resources for women and men including placing a value on work done at home. The WHO Centre for Health Development (WHO Kobe Centre -WKC) held a series of international meetings to discuss and address issues related to gender and womenʼs health. The Awaji Statement called for "governments to shift from a focus on health care policy to healthy public policy (…) from narrow indicators of morbidity and effi ciency to broader indicators of equity and well-being" (WKC 2000). The subsequent Canberra Communiqué (WKC 2001) suggested strengthening health information through systematic sexdisaggregated data and analysis. In 2002, WKC issued the Kobe Plan of Action for Women and Health with four priority research areas (WKC 2002). One of the priorities suggested conducting "comparative analysis of gender equity/equality indicators used by international agencies" (WKC 2002). The work required examining indicators used by international agencies, their rationale, methods of collection and use as well as technical quality in relation For too long, womenʼs health as a public health concern, has been perceived as synonymous with womenʼs reproductive health. Monitoring of womenʼs health was limited to a few indicators focused on childbearing and delivery, an approach that failed to consider the health of women beyond reproductive age. Research on gender-specifi c medicine made the case that little was yet known about womenʼs health and that more information should be collected. Gender health difference is not sex difference. Men and women engage in different daily activities and risk-taking behaviours related to their roles. Evidence suggests that gender factors may infl uence womenʼs risk of disease as shown by higher rates of smoking particularly among young females 1 . Women are also the fastest-growing risk group for HIV/AIDS, yet this is mostly an invisible epidemic among women. 2 Similarly, the expectations that come with being male have a signifi cant effect on menʼs health. Men tend to be more disposed to risk-taking behaviours -violence, unsafe sex, heavy drinking -that can lead to illness and/or premature death. While it is generally true that in most societies women live longer than men, it is also the case that women tend to be more affected by long-term and chronic illness, which signifi cantly affects life quality 3 . Evidence shows that womenʼs access to resources and e...

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