Gender Equality and Human Rights for Health
Gender norms, roles and relations have a significant influence on health outcomes. Gender inequality limits access to quality health services and contributes to avoidable morbidity and mortality rates among women and men. Addressing gender inequality and promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights for all improves access to and benefits from health services.
Topics
Right to Health
Switzerland views basic healthcare as a key requirement for economic and social development. It also considers the discrepancies in the provision of basic healthcare to be an unacceptable violation of fundamental human rights.
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
Sexual and reproductive health rights are a key factor for a person's social, economic and health-related development. Although child and maternal mortality has decreased significantly worldwide, around 830 women continue to die every day because of factors related to mother and child health health. Many challenges remain in this area, particularly in low-income countries. Further action is needed towards comprehensive and age-appropriate sex education in and outside of school, access to contraception, diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), preventing improperly performed abortions and reducing sexual and gender-based violence.
Health and Social Protection
Social protection seeks to protect people from social and economic risks across their life-cycle and therefore from poverty and vulnerability and ensure sustainable livelihoods.