What
do you see as the biggest challenges to women’s and children’s health at
present?
I think a major challenge at present is
keeping women’s issues on the political agenda. We need to keep asserting the importance
of a social determinants of health approach. This means taking account of
gender (women’s and men’s social roles), alongside other determinants such as
ethnicity, indigeneity, socio-economic status, sexuality and disability which
is vitally important for progressing health and addressing health inequities
alongside. Progressing women’s health can then be understood as something that
will require a whole of government approach, for example tackling violence
against women.
How
do you view the role of public health NGOs, and in particular women’s and
children’s health promotion, in the wider health sector?
I think organisations like Women’s Health
Action play a vital role in the wider health sector. Including consumer and
gender perspectives in health policies and service planning helps to ensure
services that are responsive to the needs of women and their children. This
then helps to ensure better health outcomes and better use of public health
dollars. With an increasing policy focus on children it is important to
recognise that children’s issues are inseparable from the wellbeing of women
and whanau that care for them. Women’s Health Action’s work in breastfeeding
promotion is a great example of health interventions that recognise women and
children as an inseparable dyad.
Julie can be contacted on
Julie@womens-health.org.nz or phone (09) 520 5295.
No comments:
Post a Comment