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Women & Health Online Dialogue

Expert Group Meeting on Women and Health Mainstreaming the Gender Perspective into the Health Sector Tunis (Tunisia) 28 September to 2 October 1998

Discussion Papers (Title/Author)

The views presented in these papers are those of the authors' and do not necessarily reflect the views and position of the United Nations.

Available as of 23 September 1998:

A draft framework for designing national health policies with an integrated gender perspective (Lesley Doyal)
Keywords: gender equity in health services; gender equality; biological influences on health and illness; men's health; women's health; impact of gender inequalities on women's health; gender bias in medial practice; research and delivery of health care; medical research; health statistics; health sector reform; planning and monitoring; evaluation.

Cost benefit and economic approach related to health care services system (Mabel Bianco)
Keywords: globalization, structural adjustment policies; privatisation of health services; public health budgets; maternal mortality rates; reproductive health; Gender Development Index, sexually transmitted diseases; HIV/AIDS; access to care including antenatal care; participation of women's groups and NGOs.

Factors affecting women’s health in Eastern and Central Europe with particular emphasis on infectious diseases, mental, environmental and reproductive health (Wanda Nowicka)
Keywords: state supported social infrastructure; health care; health education; reproductive health; maternal mortality; family planning; older women; cancer; STD/AIDS; environmental health; infectious diseases; mental health.

Framework for a human rights approach to women’s health - the work of the CEDAW Committee (Charlotte Abaka)
Keywords: Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; de jure and de facto equality; women's right to health; general recommendation on health (article 12); concluding comments on State parties' reports; draft Optional protocol to the Convention.

Health care including management of human and financial resources in nursing (Sheila Dinotshe Tlou)
Keywords: western model of health care; disaggregated health information ; community participation; Health care financing; International Council of Nurses; nursing as a female dominated profession; salaries;
sexual harassment.

Integrating the gender perspective in medical and health education and research (Wong Yut Lin)
See also French version
Keywords: sexisme in medicine; gaps and gender bias in medical education and research; obstetrics and gynaecology; public health; nursing; female students in medical schools; medical curricula; clinical examinations; family planning; women's health care speciality.

Issues in reproductive health (Mahmoud Fathalla)
Keywords: reproductive health; maternal and child health (MCH); family planning; fertility regulation; infertility; sexually transmitted diseases; adolescents; older women; resources; cost-effective interventions; human rights; integration of services

Occupational and environmental health of women (Aruna Dewan)
Keywords: patterns of employment of women; occupational stress; musculo-skeletal disorders and ergonomic issues; reproductive health hazards; acute poisonings; chronic occupational health problems of women in India; indoor air pollution; environmental endocrine disruptors.

The gender agenda: role of parliamentarians in the establishment of gender-sensitive health policies(Susanna Rance)
Keywords: International Medical Parliamentarians Organization (IMPO); sexual and reproductive health; state intervention; gender-sensitive policies; legislation ; promoting male participation and responsibility in sexual and reproductive health.

The role of NGOs in promoting a gender approach to health care (Marianne Haslegrave)
Key words: gender approach; girl children; STDs and HIV/AIDS; resource allocation;
advocacy; stakeholders; UN intergovernmental conferences; health professionals; NGOs and
training programmes; NGOs as catalysts; decision-making in health sector.

The role of local authorities in implementing health care wit the gender perspective: The case of the Women's Total Health Care Program in Sao Paulo, Brazil (Maria Jose de Oliveira Araujo)
Keywords: women's right to health; Women's Total Health Care Program (PAISM); Sao Paulo city government; decentralized health system management; district health authorities; health professionals; intersector networking; political factors; women in decision-making; role of NGOs and health networks.

Women and HIV/AIDS Concerns - a focus on Thailand, Philippines, India and Nepal (Dr. Suniti Solomon)
Keywords: Women and HIV/AIDS; STDs; finding from Thailand, Philippines, India, Nepal; tuberculosis; health technology; environmental health; health financing; sex/work prostitution;national HIV policies; opportunistic infections in women.

Women and mental health  (Mary-Jo Del Vecchio Good)
See also French version
Keywords: psychiatric disorders; psychological stress; depression; anxiety; substance abuse; social origins of distress; anthropology; mental health policies; mental health training; violence against women; collective and interpersonal violence; empowering women.

Women’s health and tropical diseases - a focus on Africa (Uche Amazigo)
See also French version
Keywords: tropical diseases; parasitic and infectious diseases; malaria; tuberculosis; STDs, HIV/AIDS; access to health facilities restructuring the health system; prevention.

To be added as they become available. Watch for these:

Gender-sensitive reform in the health sector (Mercedes Juarez de Robert)