Weathering economic crises: the crucial role of women in health.

Abstract

This paper examines the role women in promoting family health considers how economic obstacles hinder such efforts and argues for development programs that take into account womens role. The author begin by discussing the trend towards participatory health strategies -- specifically primary health care the child survival revolution and cost recovery. The authors explain that women play a key role in all 3 strategies. As part of their traditional domestic and agricultural responsibilities women have been in charge of food and nutrition health education treatment of common diseases and injuries and water and sanitation. Women are also play a crucial role in implementing new technologies associated with primary health care and child survival (oral rehydration therapy immunization growth monitoring family planning). And with the imposition of fees for health and nutrition services womens capacity for earning income takes an added importance. The authors stress that womens education serves as a catalyst for family health promotion. The paper goes on to examine womens dual role in the home and in the labor market and how these 3 responsibilities affect the promotion of family health. The authors conclude that as far as child nutrition is concerned womens participation in the labor market need not have a negative effect -- especially after the childs first year of life. However recent economic crises have forced women to devote even more time to market production thereby limiting the their ability to participate in time-intensive health strategies. The authors recommend that development and health programs consider ways of reducing womens time conflicts increase womens incomes and improve their access to education and training.

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