1. LESLEY DOYAL UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL Exploring inequities in health BETWEEN women

2. Changing paradigms of women and health ‘Sisterhood’: women unified by biological sex: focus on reproductive health care Gradual recognition of inequalities/differences between biological sex and social gender Key conceptual and policy development: recognition of role of unfair and avoidable gender inequity in shaping health of women (and men)

3. But ‘gender equality’ approach has limitations Inequities between women themselves have received little attention Few studies exploring these issues and statistical data often not disaggregated So little understanding of how women’s health harmed (or promoted) across range of settings

5. Wider global context Putting women into wider global context Current focus on growth of inequities within and between countries (eg Piketty) “Seven out of ten people in the world today live in countries where inequality has increased over the past three decades,” (Lagarde, 2014) How do women and their health fit into this changing picture?

6. Preventable inequalities Most frequently cited inequities are those between women of different geo-political status/those living in rich and poor countries Usually illustrated via life expectancy and maternal mortality Both provide interesting illustrations of interlinking of biological and social factors in creation of inequity

9. But international inequities may cover up dramatic domestic and regional differences

10. Inequalities in HIV in African region

13. How to explain these inequalities? GDPs of different countries and distribution of income and wealth Proportion of GDP spent on health care and other health related resources Economic, social and geographic diversity in allocation of national resources including social security, pensions, and reproductive health care in particular Range of national gender equality policies including equal pay, political representation and educational policy

14. Income inequality between social groups

15. Availability and distribution of reproductive health care (data from 50 countries)

16. Gender equality policies

17. E.g. Equal pay?

18. Conclusion SUCCESS IN ENABLING ALL WOMEN TO ACHIEVE THEIR POTENTIAL FOR HEALTH WILL REQUIRE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED INEQUITIES BETWEEN THEM AS WELL AS THE INEQUITIES BETWEEN THEM AND THEIR MALE COMPATRIOTS INTERSECTIONALITY IMPORTANT FRAMEWORK FOR ACHIEVING THIS….ON TO THIS TOMORROW