The Health Status Of Women In Sub-Saharan Africa
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Gender inequity, poverty among women, weak economic capacity, sexual and gender-based violence including female genital mutilation (FGM) are major impediments to the amelioration of women’s health in the African Region.
To ensure that women and men have equal access to the necessary opportunities to achieve their full health potential and health equity, the health sector and the community need to recognize that women and men differ in terms of both sex and gender. Because of social (gender) and biological (sex) differences, women and men experience different health risks, health-seeking behaviour, health outcomes and responses from health systems.
Furthermore, gender social stratifications have resulted in unequal benefits among various social groups of women and men as well as between women and men. Hence, continued support to Member States to roll out the Women’s health strategy and its resolution, and integrating gender into health policies and programmes have been the major achievements.
Women in the African Region are more likely to die from communicable diseases (e.g. HIV, tuberculosis and malaria), maternal and perinatal conditions, and nutritional deficiencies, than women in other regions. Globally, about 468 million women aged 15–49 years (30% of all women) are thought to be anaemic, at least half because of iron deficiency and most of these anaemic women live in Africa (48–57%).
It’s reported that 1 in 4 deaths among adult women are caused by non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Tobacco is a leading risk factor for NCDs and its use is increasing among young women in the Region.
The health of a Woman is not determined solely by biological and reproductive factors but also by the effects of workload, nutrition, stress, war, migration as well as internal displacement, among others. Thankfully, women’s health issues continue to attract higher national and international visibility and thus renewed political commitment In addition, the health of families and communities are intricately linked to the health of women.
Unarguably, the illness or death of a woman has serious and far-reaching consequences for the health of her children, family, community, as well as a place of work. Health the global slogan Healthy Women, Healthy World,” in recognition of the fact that women play a critical role in enhancing and maintaining the health and wellness of their families and communities: Mind Body Spirit.
Maadili Leadership Solutions’s Women’s Wellness Programmes will, therefore, pay special attention to the needs of various categories of women:
- Young Girls, Adolescents: in collaboration with Schools, Youth Clubs,
- Young Women: in collaboration with Universities, other Institutions of Higher Learning,
- Women Leaders: from CEOs to all levels of leadership,
- Mothers/Grandmothers: of all ages, with particular focus on parenting enlightened children, grandchildren,
- Domestic Workers: for they are the hands that rock the cradle of our homes and Nation.
