Global Women's Health: Progress toward Reducing Sex-Based Health Disparities

Abstract

Though sex-based health disparities are a global reality, nowhere are they greater than in resource-poor nations. Women and girls in developing nations lack basic health care and they face debilitating and life-threatening health issues that have long since been controlled or eradicated elsewhere. The list includes maternal mortality, obstetric fistulas, female genital cutting, HIV/AIDS, malaria in pregnancy, and cervical cancer. Because these girls and women have less access to education and employment and are societally encouraged to marry early and bear many children, they suffer from higher rates of illiteracy, fertility, morbidity, and mortality. These social and economic conditions directly affect the health and well-being of these women, their children, their families, and their communities. In 2000, the United Nations established 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)2: eradicating extreme poverty and hunger; achieving universal primary education; promoting sexual equality and empowering women; reducing child mortality rates; improving maternal health; combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases; ensuring environmental sustainability; and developing a global partnership for development (1). (Table 1) By 2005 it was clear that some nations were on track, while others were struggling. Relief was given to countries that were heavily indebted, and funds were given to the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the African Development Bank to help refocus efforts to reach the MDGs. In 2010, the United Nations set a deadline for all nations to achieve all 8 goals by 2015. View this table: Table 1. The MDGs.a Three MDGs are highly relevant to women's health. MDG3, promoting sexual equality and empowering women, specifically stipulates eliminating sex-based disparities in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and at all levels by 2015. MDG5, improving maternal health, targets a 75% reduction in maternal mortality. MDG6, combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases, aims to halt and reverse the spread of HIV/AIDs, malaria, and other …