• Gender and health
• Gender and child health
• Gender and maternal and newborn health
• Gender and sexual and reproductive health
• Gender and nutrition
• Gender, health and poverty

Gender and health

This Lancet article outlines how the persistent disadvantages experienced by women act as barriers to improved health status. The authors argue that long-term and sustained improvements in women’s health can only be achieved by eliminating the inequalities and disadvantages that women and girls face in education and economic opportunity. Research shows how secondary education for women is associated with high age at marriage, low fertility and mortality, good maternal care and reduced vulnerability to HIV and AIDS. It also shows how improved infrastructure and economic independence is linked to improved health.

The authors outline necessary changes to address these inequities. Improvements in education include making school more affordable and building secondary schools close to where girls live. Key changes also include improving content, quality and relevance through curriculum reform and teacher training and other activities aimed at transforming attitudes, beliefs, and gender-biased social norms. Governments also need to guarantee effective and independent property and inheritance rights to land and housing for women. Gender inequality is deeply rooted in attitudes, institutions and market forces. Consequently, political commitment at national and international levels is needed to enact these policies and allocate the necessary resources for gender equality and women’s empowerment to improve female health. [adapted from author]

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