Open AccessWomen's empowerment and health: the role of institutions of power in Pakistan
Author(s) -
Naseem A. Qureshi,
Babar Tasneem Shaikh
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
eastern mediterranean health journal/eastern mediterranean health journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.442
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1687-1634
pISSN - 1020-3397
DOI - 10.26719/2007.13.6.1459
Subject(s) - empowerment , power (physics) , health care , state (computer science) , economic growth , work (physics) , political science , sociology , socioeconomics , medicine , economics , mechanical engineering , physics , algorithm , quantum mechanics , computer science , engineering
Women's right to health has been reiterated many times. However, there are social and cultural barriers in developing countries that hinder their empowerment. Women's low status, deprivation of education and lack of control over their own lives and bodies have a negative impact on their health status and that of their families. This paper discusses women's empowerment and health within the framework of the 4 institutions of power in a society-family, community, health care systems and the state--with special reference to the situation in Pakistan. It concludes that to improve women's health status, concerted efforts are needed by all these institutions of power to work towards gender equality and the greater empowerment of women.