Thematic Forum 3: Health from a Gender Perspective Heather Barclay International Planned Parenthood Federation
Introduction Health challenges for women and girls Where are we now? Challenges in the post-2015 process Proposed health goals Recommendations for CSOs and governments
Health challenge for women and girls Biological differences – reproduction/childbirth, women and girls vulnerability to HIV transmissions Social – creation of gender norms that result in inequalities: Girls are married younger and bear children early Girls are less valued than boys, and are not given access to health care, nutritious food Men perceive larger families as a form of status Women suffer respiratory disorders because they spend more time over cook stoves Collecting wood and water is seen as women’s work – greater labour, risk of violence Women and girls are not able to negotiate safer sex practices Health care responses need to take into the impact of social norms and biological differences
Where are we now? Going into OWG12 – currently working with 17 proposed goals Goal is for OWG to have clear list of final goals by July September UN General Assembly: Secretary General’s Report, OWG Report presented to Member States; process for the next year to be determined Suggested that: now – July will be goals and targets Sept 2014 – Sept 2015 may be financing, means of implementation, indicators
OWG: Proposed Goal 3. Health and population dynamics : Healthy life at all ages for all 3.1 by 2030 reduce the maternal mortality ratio to less than 40per 100,000 live births 3.2 by 2030 end preventable newborn, infant and under-five deaths 3.3 by 2030 end HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases 3.4 by 2030 reduce by x% premature deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs), reduce deaths from injuries, including halving road traffic deaths, promote mental health and wellbeing, and strengthen prevention and treatment of narcotic drug and substance abuse 3.5 by 2030 increase healthy life expectancy for all by x% 3.6 achieve universal health coverage (UHC), including financial risk protection, with particular attention to the most marginalized and people in vulnerable situations 3.7 by 2030 ensure universal availability and access to safe, effective and quality affordable essential medicines, vaccines, and medical technologies for all 3.8 ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive healthf or all 3.9 by 2030 decrease by x% the number of deaths and illnesses from indoor and outdoor air pollution
Challenges Very crowded landscape; hard to prioritise between NCDs, “disease specific”, health systems and social determinants Must be achievable, measurable and global Access to data –i.e. disaggregated by age, sex, individual v household income Universal v national – making it meaningful for everyone Opposition to gender issues, gender equality – esp SRHR Not much time Political process
Recommendations for advocacy Work as a coherent health community Be pragmatic but principled Identify clear indicators that reflect what needs to be measured – already being used/politically acceptable is best Give governments concrete suggestions about how to integrate rights Be clear – without action on women’s health, we won’t have development; won’t meet any of the new goals Work with partners in the global south to “neutralise” gender issue Keep talking about underlying gender equality issues and follow the discussions on the gender equality goal Robust response to the WHO/WB proposal specifically on SHR, 80%, age disaggregation and indicators on mental health and injury
Recommendation for governments Robust response to the WHO/WB proposal specifically on SHR, 80%, age disaggregation and indicators on mental health and injury Don’t accept gender or SRHR as a “negotiating chip” Remember (and remind others!) that this is about development, not politics. Identify and work with partner countries from the south Hold the red line – nothing less than the MDGs on gender and SRHR