GENEVA, 10 November 2009-Societies continue to fail to meet the health needs of women at key moments of their lives,
particularly in their adolescent years and in older age, a World Health Organization (WHO) report has found.
Launching the report, entitled Women and health: today's evidence tomorrow's agenda, WHO Director-General Dr Margaret
Chan called for urgent action both within the health sector and beyond to improve the health and lives of girls and
women around the world, from birth to older age.
"If women are denied a chance to develop their full human potential, including their potential to lead healthier and at
least somewhat happier lives, is society as a whole really healthy? What does this say about the state of social
progress in the 21st century?" asked Dr Chan.
Worldwide, women provide the bulk of health care-whether in the home, the community or the health system-yet their own
specific health needs and challenges are not addressed throughout their lives.
Up to 80% of all health care and 90% of care for HIV/AIDS-related illness is provided in the home-almost always by
women. Yet more often than not, they go unsupported, unrecognized and unremunerated in this essential role.
When it comes to meeting women's health care needs, some services, such as care during pregnancy, are more likely to be
in place than those covering issues such as mental health, sexual violence and screening and treatment for cervical
cancer.
However, in many countries, sexual and reproductive health services tend to focus exclusively on married women and
ignore the needs of unmarried women and adolescents. Few services cater for other marginalized groups of women such as
sex workers, intravenous drug users, ethnic minorities and rural women
ENDS