The gender dimensions of
Reproductive Health.
By:
Marguerite Monnet, WBI/HD
July, 20011
Questions for discussion
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Think of proverbs describing the relationship
between women and men in your society
What are the messages/views behind these
proverbs
What implications do these views have for
reproductive health
Identify gender-responsive strategies to
improve health outcomes at the national,
health sector, community and household
levels
Proverbs :
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Quoted in a specific social and cultural
context;
Short pithy sayings embodying an admitted
truth or common belief at a given time;
Evaluative, validative, and conservative
function in a given society;
Continued:
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Powerful and therefore to be taken
seriously;
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Part of a people’s cultural heritage;
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Confirm societal norms and values.
Proverbs on proverbs:
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A hundred proverbs, a hundred truths”.
Spain
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“An old proverb will never break”. Russia
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“Proverbs are the cream of language”. Afar
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“Proverbs are the horses of speech”.
Nigeria
Proverbs on women and
men:
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Mother as the only category of women
favorably portrayed:
– “A wife should be like one’s mother”. Swahili.
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Mother often seems to prefer sons to
daughters:
– “No matter how beautiful and talented a girl is, a boy is
always more valuable” . China.
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Women are more unfaithful than virtuous.
Continued:
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Men are warned not to fall for their
charms and evil intentions:
– “Like the scorpions, woman is a relative of the devil: when
she sees a poor wretch, she wiggles her behind and moves
away”. India.
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The silent submissive type is highly
recommended:
– Virtuous is a girl who suffers and dies without a sound”.
India.
Continued:
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Women ought to be less clever and should
be kept inferior to men.
– “Never marry a a woman with bigger foot than your own”.
Malawi
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Women confined into the domestic sphere,
and men to the public roles;
The exercise of power by women is often
seen as illegitimate.
Proverbs do not have to be
true:
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No longer reflect certain women’s reality
today;
Still continue to represent deep-rooted
views, values, ideas on women’s roles,
position/status, and (im)possibilities;
Internalized images, collectives memories
and traditions.
With regard to gender in
proverbs:
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Who is quoting?
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Whose views are represented?
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Whose power is perpetuated, at the
expense of whom?
It’s a gender issue:
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Gender is described the socially
constructed roles, activities, and
responsibilities assigned to women and men
in a given culture, location, or time. These
social structures and attributes influence
how women and men perceive themselves
and each other. Examining gender roles and
the relationship between men and women
helps to understand underlying gender
attitudes.
Sex /Gender:
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Gender differs from sex which
describes biological and genetic
differences between men and women.
Gender functions at the household,
community, and national levels and
thus is embedded in a society’s social,
cultural, economic, and political
systems.
 What
are the implications of
gender disparities for
Reproductive Health?
If men and women are not
equal, then :
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Women are less educated, less employed
and then poorer than men
Women may be nurses and men doctors;
Doctor may decide to not inform woman,
but tell her husband instead;
Doctor may take decisions with her
husband regarding her RH.
If men cannot trust/control
women, then:
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They shouldn’t enjoy their sexuality;
Men may treat them badly (Violence;
rape…)
Men and the society must control
women’s sexuality.
If the women’s place is in the
home, then:
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They must take care of everybody
who is sick at home;
They are overworked even during
their pregnancy;
They may have limited mobility even
for attending health care center.
If women are seen as
“minors” and are incapable to
take decisions, then:
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They should not make decisions or
have issues concerning their RH;
National Policies regarding RH should
have no relevance to them;
They have no voice where laws are
discussed regarding their RH.
If women are not worth
investing in, they are less
educated, and then:
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They have little access to information
and services related to their RH;
They may take wrong decisions;
They are economically dependent on
men and may be not able to invest on
RH.
Is it any wonder that...
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Developing countries still face severe
morbidity and mortality, abortion
related mortality, and higher HIV
prevalence among women than men.
What have we learned?
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Well equipped facilities and technical
competencies are not enough;
Gender disparities at the household and
community levels increase the risks
factors;
Decisions made at the HH. level concerning
HH. assets allocation of resources/
distribution of roles may result in gender
disparities in health;
Continued:
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A gender perspective has to be an
integral part of the RH approach to
population activities;
There is a need to empower women to
make them able to have control on
their sexual and reproductive health.
Some areas for strategic
action planning:
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Improve understanding about the linkages
between cultural values, sexuality & RH;
Promote comprehensive sexuality education
in school programs, RH services, & in
communities;
Incorporate gender socialization issues,
human rights, & RH into RH programs;
Continued:
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Promote gender sensitive community
empowerment programs;
Re-orient top down IEC strategies &
support behavior-change interventions;
Promote gender sensitive laws and policies.
Some successful interventions
that address gender issues and
RH:
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In Kenya: traditional coming –of-age ceremonies &
FGM replaced by Alternative Rites of Passage;
In Ghana: analyzing Human rights laws led to
better understanding the concept of rape, and
improve the services of health workers;
In Senegal: Women’s groups from Malicounda
resolved to stop FGM, to affect other villages, &
encourage the Gov. to pass a law against FGM.