Women And Health Case Study

Question 1. Women and Health Women’s health has been defined in many ways and has slowly been stated and addressed through a number of years. According to The Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescent’s Health (2015) by Every Woman Every Child (EWEC) the Global Strategy aimed to change societies in which women, children, and adolescents realize that they have the right to the highest attainable health standards and well-being. Such a realization will then benefit the society socially, demographically, and economically (“The Global Strategy” 5). In the foreword from the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon states that there are three overarching objectives to the Global Strategy and these are Survive, Thrive, and Transform. Through

According to Women and Health (2009) by the World Health Organization (WHO) one social determinant is the given social status of a women and how she is treated by society (“Women and Health” xiv). In areas where women are subjected to gender-based violence and discrimination, their health suffers as a consequence. Women who are restrained by sociocultural laws and norms lack control of their lives and bodies and are placed in vulnerable positions, which can subject them to circumstances that may pose as a risk to their health and well-being. Societies attitude towards women are implemented in structural systems and policies and that continue a cycle of oppression of women’s rights to good quality health care. Another social determinant that impacts a woman’s health is education. Being properly informed about one’s own body and receiving sexual and health education can directly benefit the way in which women can pursue aid. Being educated about such issues is not only important for the women but it is also important in the survival, growth, and development of their children (“Women and Health” 3). Socioeconomic inequalities also constitute as another major social determinant of women’s health. Generally, women from high-income countries suffer less and live longer than women from low-income countries (“Women and Health” 8). These underlying determinants create challenges for the health status

One of these conditions that cause women to face greater difficulties in terms of their health is gender-based inequalities. Gender-based inequalities such as income, education, and employment create constraints around a woman’s ability to seek out healthcare to protect their own health (“Women and Health” xii). Women in high-income countries tend to live longer and suffer less from illnesses in comparison to women in low-income countries. These inequalities among countries are joined by the inequalities within countries that critically affect the health of women and girls. A woman’s access to education, household wealth, and residency are all important factors in determining the mortality levels of women of various socioeconomic backgrounds. Women’s health is also impacted by gender inequities that exist in many countries and societies. Women and girls are often seen as being socially inferior thus leading to laws and social norms that continue to perpetuate the violence and oppression of women (“Women and Health” 9). Unequal gender-based discrimination in terms of the distribution of income, health care, education, etc. is strongly correlated to poor health and well-being (“Women and Health” 10). Having these gender-based inequalities and inequities stacked against women and girls, makes it significantly harder for