Egalitarian Values Pave the Path to a Powerful Nation
By Atulya VK.
SDG 3 is primarily seen as an emphasis on ensuring healthy lives and fostering the well-being of people of all ages. Taking into consideration that men and women may have distinct health risks and vulnerabilities, the aspect of gender becomes a significant factor in health outcomes. In this way, gender-based disparities in access to nutrition, healthcare, and sanitation might negatively impact the overall health outcomes of a nation.
According to the World Health Organization (1948), health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being. A wide range of elements, such as education possibilities, cultural norms, economic and employment situations, and nutrition, can influence and depend on one’s health. Health conditions are intricately linked to gender issues, and therefore, to achieve the goals of SDG 3, it is imperative to address gender gaps in healthcare and guarantee equal access to health services. Instances of discriminatory social structures, including early marriages, male-child preference, gender-based violence, and limited decision-making authority over one’s health, might significantly impact the health outcomes of women and girls. Mentioned below are some of the ways that gender disparity and health care can be interlinked:
Maternal health: While women and girls may live longer than men, they are also prone to high chances of chronic illness. With one-third of girls getting married before turning 18, pregnancy problems and unsafe abortions continue to be major causes of death in many settings. Moreover, married women in many regions still need their husbands’ approval in order to obtain contraception. Reducing these gender disparities in women’s health requires collaboration among healthcare providers, policymakers, communities, and non-governmental organizations. Tailoring interventions to the specific needs of diverse populations and addressing the social determinants of health are critical aspects of creating a more equitable maternity care system.
Having one of its targets dedicated to lowering maternal mortality (SDG 3) requires the integral implementation of gender equality to maintain maternal health, as women’s improved access to family planning, quality reproductive healthcare, and education can have a substantial impact on maternal mortality rates. Pregnancy monitoring, information on prenatal care, family planning tools, and postpartum support are just a few of the comprehensive services that should be provided universally to lower maternal death and guarantee better outcomes for both moms and babies.
Awareness and education: In addressing gender and health issues, differences between women and men with respect to age, socio-economic status, education, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, disability, and geographical location should be taken into account. In societies where women have fewer legal rights to divorce, own and inherit property, and provide their permission for medical treatment, girls and women are especially vulnerable. The issue of sexual and gender-based violence must be brought up in any conversation about health, as intimate partner violence and gender-based violence are pervasive in almost every region of the world. Every individual should receive a comprehensive introduction to family planning information, contraception, and reproductive health services. This encourages family planning, gives women more control over their reproductive health, and helps create a more equitable division of household duties.
Raising awareness and providing education about the freedom of choice and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is of paramount importance. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates from 2022, HIV stands as the leading cause of mortality among women in impoverished nations of reproductive age, impacting approximately 16 million individuals. Notably, power imbalances within relationships significantly contribute to the vulnerability of girls and women to HIV infections, often associated with a heightened risk of intimate partner violence. Efforts to address this issue must involve comprehensive awareness campaigns and the dissemination of accurate information regarding these diseases. By equipping women with knowledge and fostering a sense of vigilance, we can empower them to make informed choices about their health and well-being, ultimately working towards reducing health disparities.
Equitable gender norms: The special series of papers on “Women’s Health and Gender Inequalities”, by the WHO creates an informed and inspirational forum to discuss these advancements in various aspects of women’s health while also analyzing the reasons why no nation can genuinely declare to have attained gender equality through intergenerational conversations between feminist activists, scholars, medical professionals, and policymakers. The series examines current and upcoming dangers in addition to reviewing previous achievements and evidence-based tactics to improve women’s health and gender equality. Among these are COVID-19-related disparities, which have been made worse by claims of an increase in violence against women and increased negative economic effects stemming from the fact that women perform more precarious, low-paying, and unstable work and provide more unpaid caregiving.
In this way, it lays out a vision for the future that includes the basic rights to bodily autonomy, which allows women and girls to make educated decisions about their sexuality, reproduction, and health care, encouraging gender norms that are egalitarian and that, among other things, declare harmful behaviors like forced or early marriage and female genital mutilation to be unacceptable forms of violence against women and girls. Funding social safety and universal health care, including paying for child care and medical expenses, as well as pensions for the elderly and disabled; encouraging men to share caregiving responsibilities with women, and placing equal value on paid and unpaid caregiving; enhancing health systems to include sexual harassment and violence prevention as well as safe, respectable working conditions for the majority of female health care staff.
Digitalized health platform: Digital health platforms can play a significant role in reducing gender inequality in healthcare by overcoming geographical barriers through telemedicine and virtual consultations, allowing women living in rural areas to get medical care without having to travel far, which can be difficult because of cultural conventions or financial limitations. Promoting gender diversity in the creation and application of digital health solutions helps cater to particular healthcare issues experienced by women and acts as a great resource for basic health information, providing information on reproductive health, preventive care guidelines, and educational materials. Mobile apps designed with women’s health needs in mind can track menstrual cycles, offer medication or appointment reminders, offer individualized health insights, and address particular health issues. With the help of these apps, women can take charge of their health. Digital health platforms can foster community participation by giving women a forum to interact, exchange stories, and offer mutual support. Social barriers can be broken down, and a sense of solidarity can be fostered through online communities.
In conclusion, there is significant evidence in multiple areas of development, health, and well-being domains connecting SDG 3 to gender equality. In addition to being an objective in and of itself, achieving gender equality is a strategy to reduce poverty and hunger, improve health outcomes, and assist in the overall attainment of SDG 3. Therefore, ensuring the well-being of all people while simultaneously promoting their health is a complex goal with mental and physical components. Thus, gender disparities need to be addressed in order to build a more sustainable and healthy society.