International Day of Action for Women’s Health

The Latin American and Caribbean Women’s Health Network (RSMLAC) was the originator of the 5th International Meeting for Women’s Health, which took place in Costa Rica in 1987. During this meeting, the World Day of Action for Women’s Health was created to commemorate women health defenders and to combat maternal mortality and morbidity.

Since 1997, this day has highlighted the problems of access to quality health services for women and the demands related to women’s right to health.

Many activist organizations are proposing activities and advocating for the need to maintain a focus on women’s health. Increasing crises, whether economic, humanitarian, climatic or pandemic, have direct impacts including loss of livelihoods and increased financial burden of unsubsidized care for women and girls.

A global concerted effort is hoped to address these difficult situations as disturbing trends emerge around the world. Consider the plight of pregnant women in Ukraine who must give birth in bomb shelters and who are subjected to sexual violence and rape in wartime.

The deterioration of health and social infrastructure as a result of one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the Democratic Republic of Congo is depriving women and girls of access to basic maternal health services.

The situation of Afghan women who are victims of draconian laws is no easier, while in many parts of the world, feminist and human rights activists are confronted with inequalities and economic, gender and cultural barriers.

Not to mention that women, affected by different pathologies than men, deserve appropriate care such as endometriosis or toxic shock. In short, this is an important day for both awareness and demands.