GLOBAL COMMISSION ON WOMEN'S HEALTH TO PROMOTE 'HEALTH SECURITY THROUGHOUT THE LIFESPAN'
Press Release
H/2905
GLOBAL COMMISSION ON WOMEN'S HEALTH TO PROMOTE 'HEALTH SECURITY THROUGHOUT THE LIFESPAN'
19960426 GENEVA, 22 April (WHO) -- The Global Commission on Women's Health, established in 1992 under the auspices of the World Health Organization (WHO), has adopted "health security for women throughout the lifespan" as the platform for its future advocacy efforts -- a concept that stresses health education, reduction in maternal mortality and morbidity, and women's freedom from violence as fundamental rights.The Commission met from 18 to 19 April, at the WHO headquarters in Geneva. Participants included Gertrude Mongella, Secretary-General of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, Princess Basma Bint Talal of Jordan; Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, the First Lady of Ghana; senior officials from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the WHO Secretariat; and eminent members of international civil society with a commitment to women's health.
The Commission agreed that addressing women's human rights from the platform of health will have the advantage of being politically and culturally acceptable to all, and offer a clear direction and measurable outcome for future work.
"Every women has the right to know everything that can be done, will be done to ensure that she does not die, or suffer unnecessary morbidity as a result of pregnancy and childbirth", the Commission reported. "Every girl and women has the right to know that she is free from the threat of gender-based violence both inside and outside her home. Every girl and women has the right to reap the benefits of education in both formal and informal environments which are themselves free from health risks. These health rights are the essence of health security for women."
Violence against Women
The Commission expressed particular concern at the "pervasive violence against women" in societies worldwide, a phenomenon that continues to be underreported but which affects women's physical and mental health across the life span. A working group will study mechanisms for monitoring implementation of existing humans rights treaties with respect to violence against women, and promote compliance with them. The main thrust of the working group will be to advocate "zero tolerance" of violence against women.
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Commission members noted that there is also a need to counter attitudes among women themselves which serve to condone and perpetuate gender-based violence. These include acceptance of female genital mutilation, and the belief in many societies that "if a man doesn't beat you, he doesn't love you". Chief Folake Solanke San of Nigeria, President of Zonta International, said, "Traditional attitudes are something that must be worked on. From school age, children must be educated that many traditional practices are not acceptable, and the damaging medical effects explained."
Education for Women and Girls
Currently more than 30 per cent of the world's pre-school children are underweight for age, 2,000 million people are affected by micronutrient malnutrition, and morbidity related to unhealthy lifestyles and diets is becoming increasingly prevalent in many developing countries. Children are increasingly the target for aggressive marketing and advertising, often with negative health consequences.
The Commission recognized that education and schooling are one of the most powerful means for improving the health of women and girls: "A blackboard and a piece of chalk can be as influential as antibiotics and contraceptives in protecting health", the meeting report states. However, action at national, regional and international levels is still lagging. In response, the Commission will prepare an advocacy document that strongly urges implementation of the goals and strategies set forth by the World Declaration and Plan of Action for Nutrition, adopted at the 1992 International Conference on Nutrition in Rome, with emphasis on the special needs of girl children. It will also develop policy guidelines to address the changing learning environment.
Maternal Mortality and Morbidity
According to 1990 data, some 585,000 women died from pregnancy-related causes that year, the most prominent being haemorrhage, sepsis, eclampsia, obstructed labour and abortion complications. Of these deaths, more than 99 per cent occurred in developing countries. Yet this represents only a small fraction of the total burden of disease associated with pregnancy and childbirth. Morbidities and disabilities are conservatively estimated at 20 million cases annually.
The Commission resolved to use all appropriate forums to: convey the message that current levels of maternal morbidity and morality remain unacceptably high; advocate for intensified measures to reduce these levels, with a special focus on Africa; and recommend accelerated use of the WHO Mother/Baby Package. A Task Force on maternal mortality was formed to focus on follow-up.
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