GENDER EQUALITY BEYOND 2005: THE CASE OF WHO
It is with great pleasure that I wish all of you a happy International Women's Day 2005. In line with the United Nations' theme "Gender equality beyond 2005: Building a more secure future", our theme for International Women's day this year is "Gender equality beyond 2005: The case of WHO ".
GENDER defines, differentiates and determines the roles, rights, responsibilities, and obligation of women and men in society. The inequalities between women and men are based on their gender roles. Because these social norms have a bearing on access to, and control of resources, income and decision-making at the household level they are the prime determinants of gender inequality in health. Gender inequality deprives women of the ability to take advantage of various socio-economic opportunities in order to generate resources and provide care for themselves and their family.
Gender inequalities predispose women to diseases. For example, in the case of HIV-AIDS, studies have shown that in the sexual transmission of HIV/AIDS, women are five to ten times more vulnerable to contracting HIV than men. Harmful traditional practices such as early marriage for girls increase the risk of early pregnancy and unsafe abortion. In Africa, one in 16 women die due to complications related to pregnancy and childbirth, making the region's maternal mortality ratio of 1000 per 100000 live births, the highest in the world.
To narrow the social gap between women and men and ensure gender equity in health care, WHO, through its normative agenda-setting, promotes the development of policies and programmes that guarantee universal access to sexual and reproductive health services including emergency obstetric care and the free exercise of sexual and reproductive rights.
The 2002 WHO Gender Policy for better health for women and men through the promotion of gender equity in health, the 2003 Women's Health Strategy for the African Region aiming at the attainment of the highest possible level of health for women throughout their lifespan, and the 2004 "Roadmap for accelerating the attainment of the MDGs relating to maternal and newborn health in Africa" have been developed to assist countries in formulating policies and elaborating programmes that are responsive to women's needs and in undertaking research on health interventions that promote gender mainstreaming in order to improve the quality of life of all women in Africa.
Bearing in mind the important role women play in the socio-economic development of our nations as care givers and productive member of society, and in the context of the MDGs calling upon all of us to promote gender equality and empower women, WHO advocates for increased women's participation in health development and the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, including combating all forms of violence against women.
On this International Women's Day 2005, I call upon all of us to take effective action and steps towards the achievement of gender equality and women empowerment
Best wishes to the women of Africa.