By Sade (Y12)
For decades, the sole purpose of the female population was seen as being able to provide their male counterparts with children. The reduction of the female population to simply being used for childcare has led to extreme levels of ignorance about women’s health. Access to safe, sanitary medical treatment is a human right that women have been denied for centuries. Even when medicine can be accessed, such as in the UK, the bias of the male gender has been reflected in their studies. Medical negligence has directly led to the avertible deaths of thousands of women and girls. In a male dominated industry, the misunderstanding and disregarding of women’s issues is seemingly inescapable, yet there are still actions we can take to prevent the loss of countless more women.
Even though women make up nearly 50% of the world’s population, they still receive poorer healthcare than men. 
This divide is typically believed to be exclusively a ‘third world problem’, however it is still present in the UK. In May of this year, the Birth Trauma Inquiry revealed horror stories about subpar perinatal care received by over 1300 women – with some having suffered preventable life-changing injuries. In addition, studies have found that women of black ethnic minority groups are four times more likely to die from childbirth than white women; Asian women were also more at risk of maternal death than white women. The bias and improper care within the UK healthcare system has been repeatedly investigated and highlighted but still women and babies experience avoidable pain. This is a symptom of the male-focussed world in which we all exist; from the inception of the study of medicine, the people who pioneered the subject were men, and so the practises that they have developed have overlooked the lives, turmoil and pain of women. Despite the commonly made assumption that we in the West need not worry about the safety of the healthcare that we access, this has been proven untrue by the multiple cases of women and babies who have been disappointed by the UK healthcare system.
In less progressive countries – with a lack of access to contraception, education and family planning- having children is an expectation rather than a choice, and healthcare is not a right but a privilege. This ignorance is part of the reason that child marriage is still so prevalent today, with approximately 1 in 5 girls being married in childhood globally. Cases of child marriage often coincide with cases of domestic violence and abuse, as well as a decreased likelihood of access to education, further limiting the opportunities of these young girls. Pregnancies during adolescence are far more susceptible to complications for both the mother and child, severely damaging a young woman’s physical and mental health. Deep-rooted gender inequality has made child marriage a painful reality for millions of girls – as their childhoods, security and freedom are being stolen. The impacts of child marriage are long-lasting, as the societies that enable and encourage the abuse of their young women continue to instil misogynistic and harmful ideas into both men and women of later generations, only widening this medical divide.
Despite often being regarded as a taboo subject, periods are normal parts of everyday life. For as long as period care is not openly discussed, it will never be truly understood. Women require sanitary products (such as pads, tampons or menstrual cups), clean water and washing facilities when menstruating. Sanitary products are currently not accessible for all people, with a lack of infrastructure, war and stigma heavily impacting millions of women and girls. Working to ensure that safe water and washing facilities are available is essential to making sure that all women can be safer and healthier. Yet this alone will not solve the problem, prioritising education is vital in reducing the embarrassment and misconceptions that surround menstrual health and bringing awareness to the different types of sanitary products available. Sexual health is another subject that is typically deemed ‘socially unacceptable’, yet more open conversations about sex would prevent the deaths of thousands of people per year, as a result of lacking contraception and sexually transmitted diseases both of which weigh more heavily on women, socially and medically. The lack of empathy towards the varying struggles of sexual health can take a large toll upon one’s mental well-being and prevent people from speaking truthfully about their experiences due to shame and fear of bullying. A common effort towards understanding and acceptance would have largely positive consequences for the health of women across the world.
However, there are those trying to help, charities and organisations have been working for decades to help manage women’s lack of access to medical care worldwide. One such example is Maternity Worldwide has partnered with local governments and other charities to support mothers in developing countries; providing education, maternal care and new-born health advice, to help women feel more secure and reassured in terms of their safety. By training local midwives and doctors, the infrastructure and support systems available for women are strengthening, creating a higher chance of safe births. Another key aspect of improving people’s well-being is immunization, which can prevent the deaths of millions of babies from disease. UNICEF’s Immunisation Plus initiative aims to implement immunization as well as several other services (such as deworming and growth screening) in Central and West Africa. Via wider access to vaccinations for women and children, infant mortality rates will decrease and deaths amongst women are also projected to fall, as diseases such as tetanus will have a lesser impact on their communities. Programmes such as these demonstrate that when attention is paid to the protection of society’s most vulnerable, progress can be made. The various charities that are dedicated to aiding women and children around the world provide an immense amount of hope that the struggles of some people are being eased.
To truly improve the medical facilities available for women a collective global effort is required. This would mean large funds, many people willing to contribute and several years of work. Women must be viewed as medical and social equals, the decision to have children must be made by the woman herself, and there must be a further readiness to support women’s choices and liberties. The fight for bodily autonomy continues for millions of people, as it has done for centuries, yet to gain freedom of choice for all women, society must begin to appreciate their value beyond childbirth and childcare. Within the UK, the bias of the population still works against women in the form of medical negligence and overlooking health issues. Although we ought to appreciate our excellent healthcare service, there are improvements to be made, to reduce the number of women – particularly of ethnic minority backgrounds – that suffer due to their health. The healthcare disparity exists both between men and women and between the rich and the poor. For this inequality to be overcome, it would take an extensive shift in mindset by both people in power and ordinary members of society.
