Sex differences in health needs: the biological dimension

THE most obvious differences in the health needs of women and men are those related to their reproductive characteristics. Women's capacity to conceive and give birth can have major effects on their wellbeing. If they cannot control their own fertility or lack the resources to move safely through pregnancy and childbirth, women will be unable to realize their potential for health.
 

This is why reproductive rights have been so high on the agenda of feminine health advocates around the world and in President Benigno Aquino’s government (Petchesky & Judd 1998; Sen, Germain & Chen 1994) and the proposed Reproductive Health (RH) Bill. Differences in male and female biology must therefore be a central concern in any strategy for promoting more equitable health policies. Most importantly, RH care must be given high priority.

In the Philippines, gender roles are distinctly divided into two, along a male/female axis. Those who are defined as females are given primary responsibility for household and domestic labor. Conversely, males have been more closely identified with the public world in the arena of waged work and the rights and duties of citizenship.

In the Philippines, there are not just differences but inequities inherent in the social definitions of femaleness and maleness especially in RH rights. Those things defined as male are usually valued more highly than those things defined as female. Thus, men and women are rewarded according to the value of their jobs.

These patterns of discrimination are more extreme in some rural communities than in the cities. However, there are no societies in the Philippines where women are treated equally or equitably or where women are treated better than men (UNDP 1995). Not surprisingly, these inequities often prevent women from realizing their potential for health (reproductive rights).

Depriving women of their RH rights results in Gender inequities that are most obvious in the distribution of income and wealth. This reflects women's unequal position in the labor market, their less favorable treatment in most social security systems and their lower status within the household. Discrimination against women is also evident in the political sphere. Their access to power is not commensurate with their numbers.

In Congress and the Senate, the number of women is proportionately much less than men. Therefore, their needs or their contributions as citizens are minimized. All these dimensions of gender inequity are very evident in every aspect of Philippines societies. Nevertheless, the inequities in reproductive rights are at the bottom of the scale and have to be given priority.

Within the household, women often have little support and the nature of their labors may affect their health. Household work and taking care of large number of children can be debilitating especially for those living in poverty. With every additional number, the time consumed in caring for the children can lead women to neglect their own health.

For too many this may be exacerbated by domestic violence. For women, even work outside the home can also be hazardous to physical, emotional and spiritual health if there are too many children in the family. A detailed account of women’s RH rights is already given in Section 4e (gender equality).

(Issue of Oct. 24-30, 2011)