Women's Health Equality Advocacy

In her address at the World Economic Forum 2024, Smriti Irani emphasized the urgency of normalizing discussions around women’s well-being to address the staggering gender health gap. According to a McKinsey Health Institute and World Economic Forum report, women globally spend 25% more time in poor health than men, highlighting a long-standing disregard for women’s health.

Irani stressed the societal stigma surrounding women’s healthcare and underscored the importance of integrating it into mainstream conversations. Recognizing the economic impact, she revealed that approaching women’s healthcare appropriately could contribute a $1 trillion annual boost to the global economy by 2040.

The Minister delved into the initiatives taken by the Modi government since 2014, aiming to revolutionize women’s healthcare in India. Irani acknowledged prevalent misconceptions about women’s health, citing a tendency for self-medication due to concerns about family burden and economic hindrance.

She addressed challenges in India, citing a World Bank report highlighting a negative 6% burden on GDP due to the lack of sanitation facilities for women. Irani praised the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, initiated in 2014, which has resulted in the construction of 110 million new toilets, addressing menstrual health concerns as well.

Irani highlighted the administrative protocol for menstrual hygiene management established under Prime Minister Modi, making it the first time in Indian history that women’s health narratives were mainstreamed politically and administratively.

Further initiatives included the provision of clean cooking fuel, saving 400,000 lives, and offering 130 million portable water connections to impoverished families, reducing the time women spent collecting firewood or water. The Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, benefiting 440 million Indians across 27,000 hospitals, was also emphasized.

Acknowledging the role of women in healthcare, Irani noted that 66% of healthcare workers in India’s operational centers were women. She emphasized the economic opportunities for women in the healthcare industry, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, where approximately 6 million women served on the healthcare frontline.

Smriti Irani’s comprehensive address at WEF 2024 showcased India’s commitment to bridging the gender health gap and emphasized the multifaceted approach necessary for achieving women’s health equity.

Re-reported from the article originally published in The shethepeople