حقوق زنان ایرانی در سلامتی
Summary
INTRODUCTION
WOMEN’S HEALTH AND THE RIGHT TO HEALTH IN IRAN
WOMEN’S RIGHT TO UNDERLYING DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
WOMEN’S ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE IN IRAN
Nondiscrimination
Financial accessibility
Physical accessibility
Information accessibility
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
Summary
In Iran, discrimination based on gender in enjoyment of the right to health is prohibited. Making health services physically and financially accessible to the entire population and removing social and cultural barriers of women’s access to health services are main considerations of the health laws and policies of Iran. The health of Iranian women has improved considerably in recent years. But there are disparities in health status and access of women to health services around the country. Some groups of women, including the poor, the elderly, the disabled, the illegal immigrant, and those without an appropriate male guardian, and rural women have limited access to health services in Iran. To realize women’s right to health, this country should immediately remove the disparities and use all the necessary means including legislative, administrative, budgetary, promotional, and judicial measures. National plans on women’s empowerment and support should be interpreted in provincial programs and action plans. Moreover, a monitoring system and certain benchmarks for tracing the progress of the plans should be established. Realizing other economic, social, and cultural rights including the rights to food, shelter, education, work, social security, and participation in society will improve the Iranian women’s enjoyment of their right.
INTRODUCTION
The right to health has been recognized by several international human rights treaties such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) 1945 and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) 1966. According to the UDHR, everyone has a “right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well‐being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.” ۱ Article 12 of the ICESCR defines the right to health as “a right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.” Any discrimination on any prohibited grounds such as race, sex, language, national or social origin, and religion in the exercise of this right is prohibited.2 However, around the world, women face more obstacles to access health services than men. They often have less power in making decisions in their families and about their health and lives. Furthermore, they are more likely to be poor, unemployed, and economically dependent on men.3 Therefore, women’s right to health and equal access to health services should get especial attention in national and international health policies.