In recent decades, the World Health Organization and many international institutions have shown the need to contribute to improved health, through tailored health research, policies and programmes that pay attention to the impact that sex and gender produce in the expression of health and disease states and healthy ageing. Conventional Medicine and related health areas are based on an androcentric model that seriously harms women’s health.
The biological and cultural differences and behaviors connected to sex and gender have an impact on cells, hormones and organs. The sex/gender perspective in the area of health sciences involves making visible and correcting scientifically identified gender biases in relation to the differences between individuals in the response to risk factors in the appearance of diseases, in the manifestation and experience of the disease, the differences in health care resulting in the results of treatments and interventions, as well as clinical management and the functioning of health services. The work for the change must be supported by three pillars: governance, academic institutions and societal demands.
Gender equality is not only a matter of social justice but also affects the performance of educational activities and research itself what is critical in health areas.
To achieve this objective the main points of intervention are:
- To recognice that cognitive biases influence critical medical decisions and lead to health disparities.
- To address the gaps in biomedical research in terms of sex and gender inclusion in study designs and incorporation of a representative number of women in clinical trials.
- To raise awareness of the impact that gender based violence produce in women’s health and the impact that gender identity and sexual orientation produce in LGTBI+ people’s health and access to healthcare
- To integrate these principles into education of future health professionals and help the academic community to develop the ability to identify and evaluate health inequalities.
Promoting equity and equality between all human beings in this way will facilitate addressing global health challenges.
The complete statement of Women’s Rights in Health was prepared at the proposal of CICFEM23 by Foro Emakumeak Medikuntzan/ Forum of Women in Medicine.
Professor of Medical Microbiology at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), director of the Laboratory of Antibiotics and Molecular Bacteriology.