RURAL WOMEN’S HEALTH: TODAY’S ISSUES TOMORROWS CHALLENGE

By-Bhawana DayalSenior Research Fellow

“Women Hold up Half the Sky”….and much more

Empowering women: Valuable as an end in itself as a basic human right.

And as a powerful determinant of women’s health,

Dimensions of health

Millennium Development GoalsGoal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower

Women Goal 4: Reduce child MortalityGoal 5: Improve maternal healthGoal6:Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria

and other diseases Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability Goal 8: A global partnership for develop

Measurement of Health status

Health care-what to measure?

Indicators

HEALTH

ECONOMIC

ENVIRONMENTAL

SOCIAL

Types of health Indicators:

Other measures

QOLI HDI

Physical well being

Psycholog-ical

well being

HDI Indicators

Life Expectan

cy

Standard of

LivingEducatio

n

The women power we have..

ANM

ASHA

AWW

Women empowermen

tby

community participation

Health system

0.75 million

0.19 million

1.2 million

AWW- Anganwadi WorkerASHA-Accredited Social Health ActivistANM- Auxiliary Nurse Midwifery

A triangle that can move the mountain….

02/05/2023 14

Universal primary

education

Emphasis on girl child

Economic equality

What is Women Empowerment?Women's empowerment has five components: oSense of self-worthoRight to have and to determine choices oRight to have access to opportunities and resourcesoRight to have the power to control their own lives,

both within and outside the home oAbility to influence the direction of social change to

create a more just social and economic order, nationally and internationally

15

What is the root cause?

What rural women have:2% of land5% extension services15% parliamentary seatsMarginal access to formal credit Less educationFewer rights

What rural women do:Family care Domestic workAgricultural productionIncome - generation Management of household food security Natural resources management Why are they still unaware

of it?

Challenge: Burden of Diseasein the new millenium

Today’s issues

Identified areas of help in among rural womenAppropriate health screenings; o

Primary care; Prenatal care; Family planning services; Oral care; Vision and eye health services;

and Mental health care.

Nutrition of women

Drinking Water and Sanitation

Housing and Shelter

Environment

Tomorrow's challenges

THANK YOU