Health
Why is Health an issue for women's equality?
The National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI) has played a key role in increasing women's participation in human rights and equality debates, through the introduction of rights-based approaches to policy development and practice. Health and wellbeing is both a central issue to women's equality and to the achievement of fundamental human rights.
Over the past 12 years we have initiated education and awareness raising projects for our members and the wider Women's Movement. These include; The Women's Health Project (click here for the newsletter, click here for the evaluation report), Making Women Seen and Heard cross-border initiative and the In From The Margins (IFM) project.
Through this engagement women have gained practical knowledge on gender connected barriers for women's health and social and cultural equality related concerns on how the public health system delivers healthcare to all its citizens, free from discrimination.
The NWCI has been part of the lobby to embed the social determinants of health model into Irish health policy and planning - for more on recent National Health Plans click here. This model recognises the importance of addressing the impact of social and structural inequalities, including gender, to ensure a person's health and well being. Women's Health is therefore of importance to our members. A recent survey of our members revealed that over 75% have either a specific or a general interest in issues of concern to women's Health.
What are we doing about Women's Health?
Women's Health Strategy 2008-2010
In 2006, the NWCI published a research report entitled Women's Health: Meeting International Standards, a comparative study of health care systems in Canada, Australia and Ireland, placing women's health within a human rights context. Our Women's Health Strategy 2008-2010 incorporates the principles and best practices of this report and applies its recommendations to the Irish Public Health System.
In September 2008, the NWCI recruited a Women's Health worker, Joanne Vance to progress the strategy. There are two key elements to this work:
Women's Health Campaign
The Women's Health campaign was launched at our Member's Meeting on 19th February 2009. The issue was the financing of the health system and its reform. The Health spokespersons of each of the political parties presented their options for reform. Fianna Fail did not send a spokesperson.
The following speeches were presented at the Member' Meeting:
- Sinn Féin - Caoimhghin O' Caolain TD
- Green Party - Senator Deirdre De Burca
- Labour Party - Jan O'Sullivan TD
- Fine Gael - Dr. James Reilly TD
NWCI will continue to lobby the Irish Government until a one-tier universal health system; providing equal access to quality healthcare for all women is achieved. For this to be meaningful, we believe that the following changes in the health system are necessary:
- Its ethos should embrace the principles of equality, respect and dignity
- It needs to be re-balanced towards Primary Care infrastructure, with community-based GP-led services, free at point of access, to reduce the demand on the acute hospital services.
- It should recognise gender and women as a diverse population with specific health needs
- It should encourage participation of all groups of women in decision- making at all levels
A change is needed also in the way in which the public health system is financed to achieve equal access, quality and affordability for all. There should be no more subsidies to the private health sector from the public purse.
Please see our NWCI June newsletter, which documents the first six months of the Women's Health Campaign.
Networking and Alliance Building
We also work to support members with specific campaigns, and other NGO organisations and key stakeholders to achieve our common goals in reducing health inequalities, countering gender discrimination in health and to improve the health and wellbeing of women living in Ireland. Key alliances have been made through the Women's Human Rights Alliance, the FGM National Steering Committee, the NDA/ NWCI Disability and Pregnancy Study, and the HSE Gender Mainstreaming in Health Policy and Provision.
Gender Mainstreaming in Health Policy and Provision
The NWCI was invited to send a representative to participate on the HSE (Population Health Directorate) project team to address Mainstreaming Gender in Health Service Policy and Provision. This one year study fits very well with the NWCI Women's Health Strategy and is relevant to the health objectives in the National Women's Strategy. It has also provided us with the opportunity to work with the HSE Women's Health Promotion Officers again. The team is currently finalising the Project Scope Statement and a Gender Dimension background document, which will clarify the aims and objectives of the study.
The next meeting will take place on the 19th October 2009, at which a presentation form Marese O'Reilly, Gender Equality, NHS Scotland, will be given.
Supporting our member on specific health campaigns
- National Steering Committee against FGM
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a harmful practice that violates the human rights of women and girls, perpetuates negative gender based stereotypes, infringes upon children's rights to special protections and has serious social, health and psychological consequences.
The committee, of which the NWCI is a member, is planning to issue a press release on 25th November 2009 (European FGM Day) to chart the progress on the National Action Plan on Female Genital Mutilation, including the possibility of legislation to outlaw the practice in Ireland and on Irish born children abroad. A further workshop is planned for 4th February to mark International Day against FGM. Click here for further details. - NDA/NWCI Pregnancy Research Steering Committee
The National Disability Authority and National Women's Council of Ireland have identified a need to explore access to reproductive and sexual health services for women with disabilities in Ireland, and have emphasised the importance of training and education in disability awareness for health professionals (NWCI, 2001; NDA, 2007).
In 2008 The National Disability Authority (NDA), in a joint initiative with the National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI) commissioned Trinity College Dublin's School of Midwifery to produce a three-part national study on social policies, relating to disability and childbirth, both in Ireland and internationally. The purpose of this review was to access, compile and analyse current policy governing procedure and practice in publicly-funded Irish health service provision for women with disabilities during pregnancy, childbirth and early motherhood, and to provide a commentary on policy development in this area in Ireland vis-à-vis the international situation.
The final literature review and policy document was accepted by NDA 8th September and should be available on the NDA Website shortly. The first draft of the third report dealing with the strengths and weaknesses of the publicly funded health services, will shortly be submitted to the Pregnancy Steering Group for comment. The next meeting of the Steering Group will take place on Friday 16th October, 2009. - Breast Cancer Awareness
Campaigning to improve awareness, prevention, treatment and survival rates for women with Breast Cancer is a key concern for our members. In December 2007, Members took to the streets to protest against the delays in treating women with breast cancer, sadly resulting in the untimely death of young Irish women. Women demanded easily accessed, quality, holistic breast cancer services in Ireland.
In February 2009, NWCI held a workshop with Members with a specific interest in raising awareness of breast Cancer, including Europa Donna, the National Collective of Community-based Women's Networks, Action Breast Cancer, National Breast Check, Network Kildare, and Dessa. The purpose of the meeting was to investigate the reasons behind the low take up of breast screening services in disadvantaged rural and urban areas. One of the recommendations of the meeting was to produce an accessible, factual leaflet for all women. Europa Donna Ireland agreed to put this idea into practice.
The result of their work is: '9 Things Women Should Know About Breast Cancer'" a very accessible, well illustrated leaflet which was launched by Minister Mary Harney on 5th October 2009. The Europa Donna project aims to distribute over 750,000 leaflets to targeted areas throughout the country. Europa Donna will also be disseminating the leaflet through their 15th October Breast Health Day Campaign, which is being supported by over 20 community groups locally. For more information please see www.europadonnaireland.ie.
It was also agreed that members would use their community networks to support each other, and the National Cancer Screening Programme to improve the uptake rates for cancer screening. NWCI members met again with Maeve Cussack, Manager, National Cancer Screening in May 2009, to look at practical ways to support this engagement. For example; the Women's Health Worker has been liaising between BreastCheck and the Waterford Women's Centre around the roll out of Breast check in the South- east and the subsequent location of the mobile breast screening unit and the difficulties of access for women relying solely on public transport. BreastCheck are currently working with transport providers to address this issue.
Lobbying Government - Budget 2010
We are heartened by the number of comments relating to health, generated from our members by the NWCI pre-budget 2010 submission. The following issues were suggested by members for inclusion in the submission:
- Two member groups from the North-West raised the issue of the closure of the Specialist Cancer Services unit in Sligo General.
- The need for government to increase the upper age limit for BreastCheck to 69 years.
- A call from community based women's networks to strengthen the argument for the introduction of the National HPV Vaccination Programme to protect 12 yr old girls against cervical cancer, which was abandoned by Government IN 2008.